Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja sentenced to 2 years in prison over church-state collusion

Han Hak-ja, leader of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification — commonly known as the Unification Church — was sentenced to two years in prison Monday in a first-instance ruling in a case that placed her at the center of alleged church-state collusion with the Yoon Suk Yeol administration.

The 27th Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court handed down one year for violating the Political Funds Act and one year for violating the Anti-Graft Act, for a combined sentence of two years.

Han is currently under a suspended detention order due to health reasons and was not taken into custody in the courtroom despite the prison sentence. Her suspended detention expires Wednesday at 6 p.m. After the ruling, Han left the courthouse in a wheelchair without responding to questions from reporters.

The court said the crimes were committed with the aim of using the 20th presidential election as an opportunity to expand the church's influence, backing a favored candidate with the church's financial resources and then seeking government support for church policies and broader political influence after the new administration took office.

"Han, as the head of the Unification Church, enabled these crimes to take place," the court said, adding that a prison sentence was unavoidable given her position and role within the church and her attitude of shifting responsibility onto former Unification Church global headquarters chief Yun Young-ho.

The court cited as mitigating factors that the crimes were committed to expand the church rather than for personal gain, that the church itself did not seek punishment for Han, that she had no prior criminal record, and that she had dedicated her life to world peace as a religious leader.

The court found Han guilty of handing 100 million won ($72,600) in cash to former People Power Party lawmaker Kwon Seong-dong and of making so-called split donations to PPP lawmakers. It also found her guilty of delivering a Chanel bag and a Graff diamond necklace, among other items, to first lady Kim Keon Hee.

However, the court acquitted Han of embezzling church funds. It also dismissed charges that she had ordered Yun to destroy evidence after obtaining information about a casino gambling investigation, ruling that the special prosecutor lacked jurisdiction over that matter.

The special prosecutor team led by Special Prosecutor Min Joong-ki had asked the court at last month's closing arguments to sentence Han to 13 years in prison.

Han's defense denied the charges, arguing the conduct was the personal misconduct of former headquarters chief Yun. In her final statement at trial, Han said she "sincerely apologized for unintentionally causing controversy" and that she had "devoted her entire life to peace for humanity."

Jeong Won-ju, Han's former chief of staff, who was tried alongside her, received eight months in prison suspended for two years on the political funds violation charge, and a separate eight months suspended for two years on the anti-graft and embezzlement charges.

Former global headquarters chief Yun Young-ho was sentenced to six months in prison. His wife, Lee Shin-hye, former head of the church's finance bureau, received six months suspended for one year.

The Unification Church issued a statement shortly after the ruling, saying it would establish an emergency reform framework covering all aspects of church operations and overhaul its legal compliance procedures. However, the church said it would appeal, stating it "cannot accept" the court's finding that Han had directed the conduct or knowingly approved it for illegal purposes.