Unification Church, Legal, Korea
"It's the end of a protracted legal battle. On July 3, 2025, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals put an end to one of the most prolonged legal disputes over the will of the late Reverend Sun Myung Moon, the founder of the Unification Church, better known as the Moonies. The background to all of this was the transfer of a fortune of several hundred million dollars into a foundation in Zug, Switzerland.
The American court turned down all the petitions by the widow of the reverend, Hak Ja Han Moon, and their youngest son, Hyung Jin Moon (alias Sean), against their rival Preston Moon, the eldest son of the deceased Korean guru. The judges found that this man's decisions were a matter of internal religious belief. Civil courts are not in a position to decide on this sort of dispute, it being excluded by the First Amendment of the US Constitution."
" ... The assets placed in the Swiss foundation include investments in two massive real estate projects in Seoul – Central City Limited and Parc1, a 69-storey skyscraper – as well as a ski resort, a construction company, and $2 million in cash.
According to Preston Moon himself, this transfer of funds was intended to counter the Church's poor reputation with Korean banks and to fund the Parc1 construction project, presented as the "life's dream" of his late father.
Yet this undertaking was launched without informing the reverend's widow, nor the historic Japanese branch of the Church, nor Sean Moon. Convinced that Preston Moon had appropriated the organisation's assets to use them for his own religious aims, his opponents went before the Washington courts."
" ... In its July 3, 2025, decision, the Court of Appeal ultimately closed this door completely. It found that the plaintiffs had not shown that Preston Moon had derived personal advantage from the transfer of assets to the Swiss foundation. It also found that none of the accusations of "self-dealing" in the initial submissions to the suit concerned KIF. It is too late to bring them up now. The Court also declined the plaintiffs' request to reopen the case to include new evidence."
Hankyoreh: Han Hak-ja: Who the Unification Church leader is, and why she might soon be jailed
"Han Hak-ja, the leader of the Unification Church, appeared before a judge on Monday as the court weighed whether to grant a warrant for her arrest on suspicion of bribing former first lady Kim Keon-hee and People Power Party lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong.
Since Yun Young-ho, the former director of the church's international operations, was indicted on similar charges on Aug. 18, Han has strenuously denied involvement, saying that Yun acted alone.
However, given the Unification Church's doctrine and global organization, and Yun's testimony that every detail of church affairs is reported to Han, investigators working the case believe the Unification Church's lobbying of the administration of President Yoon Suk-yeol could not have gone down without Han's instruction and approval.
Since the death of Unification Church founder Moon Sun-myung on Sept. 9, 2012, Han, 82, has controlled the church's leadership. Han married Moon, who was 23 years her senior, on April 11, 1960, when she was 17. The couple had 14 children — seven sons and seven daughters — over 21 years.
Within their movement, Moon and Han were referred to as the "true parents" of humanity and were considered messiahs. After Moon's death, Han, as the "true mother," began to expound on a new doctrine that suggested she is the "only begotten daughter" of God. This new doctrine theologically legitimized her succession to the church's throne."
Chosun: Unification Church Director Han Hak-ja Faces Detention Review Over Collusion
"Han Hak-ja, the Unification Church's general director, identified as the central figure in the so-called religious and political collusion allegations involving the Yoon Suk-yeol administration and the Unification Church, appeared for a detention review on the 22nd.
Presiding Judge Jung Jae-wook of the Seoul Central District Court's warrant-dedicated division conducted the substantive review of the warrant for Han, the general director, for approximately five hours starting at 1:30 p.m. that day.
Han, who arrived at the court in a wheelchair around 12:53 p.m., did not respond to reporters' questions, including: "Did you testify that you gave Kweon Seong-dong, a People Power Party lawmaker, not 100 million Korean won but 300 million Korean won and a necktie?" "How do you view the fact that former Unification Church global headquarters chief Yun Young-ho has admitted to delivering a Chanel bag and 100 million Korean won?" and "Will you primarily address health issues during the detention review?" Followers cheered, shouting, "We love you," toward her.
Han faces four charges: violations of the Political Funds Act, the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act, instigation of evidence destruction, and occupational embezzlement. She is accused of instructing Yun, the former chief, to deliver 100 million Korean won in political funds to Representative Kweon in January 2022 (violation of the Political Funds Act) and donating a total of 210 million Korean won to People Power Party metropolitan and provincial offices using Unification Church funds."
The Korean Herald: Court issues warrant to detain Unification Church leader
" ... The court issued Han's warrant at around 6:30 a.m., 12 hours after the warrant application hearing ended.
Han reportedly denied the charges during the five-hour hearing, insisting she has no interest in politics, does not know much about it, and never gave money to any politician
Her legal team argued that there was no risk of flight or evidence tampering, considering her age and deteriorating health.
The special counsel submitted a 220-page report to the court earlier, emphasizing the necessity of Han's detention, citing her three consecutive refusals to comply with special counsel summonses on Sept. 8, Sept. 11, and Sept. 15.
The Unification Church leader left the court building in a wheelchair without answering any questions from the press. Reporters asked how much was given to Rep. Kweon Seong-dong, the former floor leader of the People Power Party, and whether the funds were intended to support former President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Han was taken to the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, to await the court's decision.
Han will be held at the center's waiting room until she is admitted to a detention cell on Tuesday."
"South Korea has arrested the leader of the controversial Unification Church over allegations the organisation bribed South Korea's former first lady in exchange for business and political favours.
Han Hak-ja's church is accused of giving Kim Keon Hee, the wife of ousted president Yoon Suk Yeol, two Chanel bags and a diamond necklace, together worth 80 million won ($57,900; £42,500).
Han, the 82-year-old widow of the church's founder Sun Myung Moon, has repeatedly denied the allegations, calling them "false".
The church said Tuesday it would "faithfully engage" with authorities and "do [its] best to use this as an occasion to restore trust in our church".
It also apologised for "causing concern to the people".
Prosecutors had sought an arrest warrant for Han on four charges, including improper solicitation and graft, and occupational embezzlement.
In court on Monday, Han rejected the charges, insisting that she has neither interest in nor knowledge about politics. Her lawyers argued against the arrest, citing her age and worsening health.
Han is also accused of colluding with a former church official, surnamed Yun, to offer 100 million won in bribes to conservative lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong ahead of the 2022 presidential election, in exchange for favours for the church if Yoon won the election, which he did."
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