South Korea jails Unification Church leader over Yoon-era political bribery case

A South Korean court on Monday handed over two-year imprisonment to Unification Church leader Han Hak Ja over political funding and bribery offences linked to former President Yoon Suk Yeol's administration.

According to the Seoul Central District Court ruling, the 83-year-old leader was found guilty of delivering money and luxury goods to politicians, even to former first lady Kim Keon Hee.

The case is a part of broad-spectrum investigations launched after Yoon was removed from office following his December 2024 declaration of martial law.

The one-year of imprisonment was given for breaching the Political Funds Act, including her complicity in providing 100 million won to a then-ruling party lawmaker ahead of the 2022 presidential election.

Another year was handed over to Han because of her involvement "in giving luxury goods to former first lady Kim through an intermediary,” according to ​the ruling.

"The crimes were committed to use the Unification Church's financial power to support a favourable candidate in the 20th presidential election, seen ​as an important opportunity to expand the church's influence, and, when that candidate was elected, to obtain support for church policies and continuously secure political ‌influence," the ⁠judge said.

Denying allegations that she transferred items like a designer handbag to Kim through an intermediary, the 83-year-old faces an imminent appeal from her legal team.

"We find it impossible to accept the court's judgment that President Han Hak-ja directed the acts in question or recognised and approved their illegal purpose," the church said in a statement.

Han is the widow of influential church founder Sun Myung Moon and head of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification.

She was charged with aforementioned charges in 2025 by a special prosecutor team investigating allegations involving Yoon and Kim.