South Korean authorities indict Shincheonji leader and seek arrest warrants for former officials over forced People Power Party memberships
A joint police‑prosecution task force indicted the leader of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus for alleged violations of the Political Parties Act, while investigators also sought arrest warrants for three former senior officials of the sect.
A joint police‑prosecution task force indicted the Shincheonji sect leader on charges of forcing People Power Party (PPP) memberships, according to Yonhap News Agency (YNA). The indictment follows a broader investigation into the sect’s alleged involvement in political recruitment.
Investigators sought arrest warrants for three former senior officials of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus over suspicions that they forced church members to join the PPP ahead of the 2021 and 2024 elections, reported by the Korea Times. The same joint investigation team also sought arrest warrants for a former No. 2 leader of Shincheonji, identified only by the surname Goh, and two others on charges of violating the Political Parties Act, which bans coercing individuals to join or quit political parties (Korea Times). Shincheonji founder Lee Man‑hee was questioned in connection with the same suspicions (Korea Times).
The Korea Times noted that this is the first time the investigation team, launched in early January, has sought arrest warrants since it began probing allegations that the sect forced followers to become dues‑paying PPP members with the intention of influencing the outcome of the 2021 presidential primary and the subsequent general election.
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