The Joint Investigation Team is examining allegations that members of the Shincheonji Church joined the Democratic Party.
According to legal sources on July 24, the team has identified evidence suggesting that Shincheonji encouraged its members to join the Democratic Party to resolve local grievances and has begun investigating related individuals.
In the past, Shincheonji attempted to purchase properties in areas such as Gwacheon, Goyang, Gapyeong, Incheon, and Iksan for religious use but faced opposition from residents, preventing them from obtaining approval for changes in land use.
In this context, the investigation team has found indications that Shincheonji urged its members to join the Democratic Party to address these local issues.
The team believes that if Shincheonji engaged in collective actions to interfere in the Democratic Party's internal primaries or elections, it could face charges of violating election laws.
The controversy has intensified following claims by Democratic Party leadership candidates Kim Min-seok and Song Young-gil regarding Shincheonji's alleged interference in the party's internal primaries during the recent party convention.
Since its establishment in January, the investigation team has focused on allegations of Shincheonji members joining the People Power Party, conducting searches at the Shincheonji headquarters in Gwacheon and the party's office.
On July 13, just five months after its formation, the team arrested and indicted Lee Man-hee, the church's leader, and others for allegedly forcing members to join the People Power Party, charging them with violations of party law and obstruction of business.
Earlier, Shincheonji had called for a simultaneous investigation of its membership lists alongside those of the Democratic Party and the People Power Party, stating that the investigation should not target only one specific party but should be thorough and impartial.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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