Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja faces 13-year prison term demand from special prosecutors

The special prosecution team led by special prosecutor Min Joong-ki has sought a combined 13-year prison sentence for Han Hak-ja, leader of the Unification Church, who stands trial on allegations of colluding with the Yoon Suk Yeol administration to merge religious and political power.

The Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Division 27, presided over by Judge Woo In-seong, held the final hearing in Han's case on Friday. The special prosecutors asked the court to impose five years in prison on the political funds law violation charges and eight years on the remaining charges.

The team also sought 10 years for a former chief of staff identified only by the surname Jeong, who was indicted alongside Han, and three years and six months for former global headquarters director Yoon Young-ho. Three years were sought for Yoon's spouse, a former Unification Church finance director identified only by the surname Lee.

"The defendants mobilized vast financial resources and colluded with political circles with the goal of realizing a union of religion and state," the special prosecutors said. "They interfered in elections and politics, provided political funds to political figures, and engaged in various illicit lobbying."

They added that the conduct "directly violated the constitutional principle of separation of religion and state and constitutes a grave crime that undermined representative democracy," calling for severe punishment.

The special prosecutors characterized Han as the ultimate decision-maker of the Unification Church and the primary beneficiary of the church-state collusion.

"Han privatized the human and material resources of a religious organization and traded them for political power," they said, adding that "the result was a manipulation of state affairs, and she must be held accountable accordingly."

The special prosecutors also criticized Han for exploiting inmate visitation rights and the bail system in effect as tools to receive preferential treatment, raising further allegations of special favors.

Han is accused of delivering 100 million won ($66,500) in political funds to People Power Party lawmaker Kwon Seong-dong in January 2022, requesting government support for the Unification Church under the Yoon administration. She also faces charges of channeling 144 million won in church funds to PPP lawmakers and others between March and April of that year through so-called "split donations."

Han also faces charges of delivering an expensive necklace and a Chanel bag to first lady Kim Keon Hee through Jeon Seong-bae, known by the religious title "Geonjin Beopsa," in July 2022, while lobbying for the resolution of church affairs.

Meanwhile, former global headquarters director Yoon, who faces a separate trial on charges of delivering gifts to Kim Keon Hee and lawmaker Kwon Seong-dong, had a sentence of one year and six months confirmed by the Supreme Court on Thursday.