'Moonies' church chief arrested over items to ex-South Korea first girl

[ad_1] South Korea has arrested the chief of the controversial Unification Church over allegations the organisation bribed South Korea's former first girl in alternate for enterprise and political favours.

Han Hak-ja's church is accused of giving Kim Keon Hee, the spouse of ousted president Yoon Suk Yeol, two Chanel baggage and a diamond necklace, collectively price 80 million received ($57,900; £42,500).

Han, the 82-year-old widow of the church's founder Solar Myung Moon, has repeatedly denied the allegations, calling them "false".

The church mentioned Tuesday it could "faithfully interact" with authorities and "do [its] greatest to make use of this as an event to revive belief in our church".

It additionally apologised for "inflicting concern to the folks".

Prosecutors had sought an arrest warrant for Han on 4 costs, together with improper solicitation and graft, and occupational embezzlement.

In court docket on Monday, Han rejected the fees, insisting that she has neither curiosity in nor information about politics. Her legal professionals argued in opposition to the arrest, citing her age and worsening well being.

Han can be accused of colluding with a former church official, surnamed Yun, to supply 100 million received in bribes to conservative lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong forward of the 2022 presidential election, in alternate for favours for the church within the occasion that Yoon received the election - which he did.

Kweon, as soon as seen as a detailed confidante of Yoon, was arrested final Wednesday. He denies accepting bribes.

The Unification Church had pinned the blame for each units of allegations - involving Kim and Kweon - on the previous church official, saying he acted alone in providing these items. The official has since been arrested.

Kim, the previous first girl, was indicted final month on numerous costs, together with bribery and inventory manipulation, which she denies. Her trial began this week.

Her arrest marked the primary time that each a former president and former first girl have been jailed in South Korea.

Yoon was detained in January and is dealing with a separate trial over a failed martial regulation try final yr that plunged the nation into chaos and led to his impeachment.

The Unification Church, recognized formally as The Household Federation for World Peace and Unification, was based in South Korea within the Nineteen Fifties by Moon Solar-myung, who proclaimed himself the messiah.

The church is greatest recognized for holding mass weddings involving 1000's of {couples}, a few of whom would have solely lately been matched by the church.

Critics have described the group as "cult -like". Legal professionals have accused it of coercing devotees, recognized colloquially as "Moonies" after its founder, to donate giant sums of cash.

The Unification Church has come beneath the highlight in Japan after the 2022 assassination of the nation's former chief Shinzo Abe. The alleged murderer blamed the group for bankrupting his household and held a grievance in opposition to Abe for allegedly selling it.