Lead

Investigators have widened their probe into allegations involving the Shincheonji Church of Jesus after detecting evidence suggesting followers may have been forced to join the ruling Democratic Party (DP), in addition to the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), legal sources said.

The joint police-prosecution task force has questioned people with knowledge of the case amid suspicions the nonmainstream sect pressured followers to join the DP to help gain authorities' approval for the conversion of its properties into religious facilities, according to the sources.

If the alleged action was aimed at meddling in the DP's primaries or elections, those responsible could face charges of violating the election law, the task force has said.

Coverage comparison

Yonhap News Agency reported on July 24 that the investigation's scope had been expanded following the discovery of evidence related to the DP. The agency noted that until then, the task force had focused on suspicions that Shincheonji forced followers to join the PPP from 2021 to 2024 in an attempt to influence the party's presidential primary in 2021 and the 2024 general election primaries.

In later reports dated July 28, Yonhap disclosed that the joint investigation team had secured a statement in March during questioning of former Shincheonji members, in which the youth chairperson of the church's Simon branch allegedly urged followers to join both the PPP and the DP ahead of the 2022 local elections.

Despite obtaining that statement, the team initially did not pursue an investigation involving the DP, instead focusing solely on allegations that church members had collectively joined the PPP, the agency reported.

Key claims

  • The joint investigation team secured a statement in March during questioning of former Shincheonji members, according to legal sources.
  • The youth chairperson of the church's Simon branch allegedly asked followers to join both the PPP and the DP ahead of the 2022 local elections, saying: "I am a member of both the PPP and the DP. We must show our strength to politicians."
  • The Simon branch is responsible for church followers in northwestern Seoul and northern Gyeonggi Province, including Goyang.
  • Despite securing the statement, the team did not pursue an investigation involving the DP, instead focusing on allegations that church members had collectively joined the PPP, according to legal sources.
  • The team did not investigate whether there were church members who joined the DP following encouragement from the youth chairperson or whether similar cases occurred in other regions.
  • Investigators raided only the PPP headquarters between February and March.
  • The church's founder, Lee Man-hee, and other church officials were indicted on charges of forcing church followers to join the PPP with the aim of influencing the results of the party's presidential primary in 2021 and its candidate nominations for the 2024 general elections.
  • The team only recently said it had launched an investigation into allegations that church followers joined the DP last year during the party's candidate nominations for the June 3 local elections.
  • Evidence suggested followers may have been forced to join the DP, and the church may have pressured followers to gain authorities' approval for property conversion, according to legal sources cited by Yonhap.

Perspectives

No named parties have publicly commented on these allegations. The reports rely on legal sources and the investigation team's statements, without direct responses from the church or the political parties involved.