Shincheonji leader faces arrest as investigators seek warrant over alleged forced party membership

By Choi Eui-jong, The Herald Business

A joint investigation headquarters probing alleged collusion between religion and politics has applied for an arrest warrant for Shincheonji Church of Jesus Chairman Lee Man-hee on suspicion of coercing followers into joining a specific political party.

The joint task force, led by Kim Tae-hoon, said Sunday it had filed the warrant application with the Seoul Central District Court on charges including violations of the Political Parties Act.

According to the task force, Lee is suspected of pressuring Shincheonji members to join the People Power Party with the intent of influencing the outcomes of the PPP's 2021 presidential primary and the party's 2024 general election primary.

The task force launched a full-scale investigation into the alleged forced party membership earlier this year, conducting search and seizure operations at Shincheonji's general headquarters and the PPP's party office in January and February. Lee was summoned and questioned as a suspect on June 4.

The task force has also secured the detention of three others on Political Parties Act violations — Ko, a former Shincheonji secretary-general considered the church's second-in-command, and two former branch secretaries-general. After the task force applied for their warrants, a court granted them on June 17, citing concerns over destruction of evidence and flight risk.