Kim Keonhee Special Prosecutor Summons Han Hakja and Kwon Seongdong over "Politics-Religion Collusion"... Multiple Indictments Expected This Week

Kwon Likely to Be Indicted Before Chuseok Holiday
Lee Kihoon of Sambutogeon and "Geonjin Bopsa" Also Summoned

The special prosecutor team led by Min Jungki, which is investigating allegations related to First Lady Kim Keonhee, summoned both Han Hakja, president of the Unification Church who has been detained on charges of involvement in the "politics-religion collusion" scandal, and Kwon Seongdong, a member of the People Power Party, on September 29.

Kwon Seongdong, a member of the People Power Party accused of accepting illegal political funds, is leaving the plenary hall after voting on the motion for his arrest consent at the National Assembly plenary session on September 11, 2025. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

Park Sangjin, assistant special prosecutor, stated at a regular briefing that day, "We summoned Han Hakja, president of the Unification Church and a detainee in connection with violations of the Political Funds Act and other charges, for questioning at 10 a.m. today. Kwon Seongdong, a member of the National Assembly who has also been detained in relation to the same case, will be summoned for questioning at 2 p.m."

President Han was detained on September 23 on charges of violating the Political Funds Act, including conspiring with Yoon, the former global head of the Unification Church, to deliver 100 million won in political funds to Assemblyman Kwon in January 2022 while requesting support from the Yoon Sukyeol administration for the Unification Church. President Han was summoned for questioning for about four and a half hours on September 24, just one day after being detained. The special prosecutor team requested her to appear again on September 26, but her side declined due to health reasons.

Kwon Seongdong, who is accused of receiving 100 million won from the Unification Church, also appeared before the special prosecutor team on September 29. He had previously been summoned and questioned twice after his detention, on September 18 and 24. He was also asked to appear on September 23, but he refused, stating that he had sufficiently explained the allegations in earlier questioning.

The special prosecutor team is expected to indict Assemblyman Kwon before the Chuseok holiday, considering that his maximum legal detention period will expire in early October. The maximum period of detention allowed by law for a detained suspect is 20 days. Park Sangjin said, "The expiration of his detention is approaching," and added, "If the expiration falls during the holiday, it is customary to proceed just before the holiday, so we expect this will happen in most cases."

Key Figure in Sambutogeon Stock Manipulation, Lee Kihoon, Summoned for Questioning

The special prosecutor team also summoned Lee Kihoon, former vice chairman of Sambutogeon and chairman of Wellbiotech, at 10 a.m. on September 29. Lee was indicted and detained on September 26 on charges of colluding with Sambutogeon Chairman Lee Iljun, former CEO Lee Eunggeun, and former Chairman Cho Seongok in May and June 2023 to obtain 36.9 billion won in illicit gains.

Having indicted Lee Kihoon on charges related to the Sambutogeon stock manipulation case, the special prosecutor team plans to continue its investigation into the allegations of stock manipulation involving Wellbiotech. Wellbiotech is suspected of manipulating stock prices by deceiving investors into believing it would participate in the Ukraine reconstruction project alongside Sambutogeon in May 2023. The special prosecutor team has considered Lee Kihoon as a key link between Sambutogeon and Wellbiotech throughout its investigation.

Lee Kihoon, vice chairman of Sambutogeon (also chairman of Wellbiotech), who fled while under investigation for the "Sambutogeon Stock Manipulation" case, was arrested by the police and is entering the Kim Gunhee Special Prosecutor's Office set up in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 11th. Photo by Yonhap News

Accelerating Investigations into Wide-Ranging Allegations, Including Nomination Interference

Additionally, the special prosecutor team summoned Jeon Seongbae, known as "Geonjin Bopsa," in connection with allegations of interference in the 2022 local election nominations, as well as four Yangpyeong County Office officials in relation to the Kim family’s alleged preferential treatment in the Yangpyeong Gongheung District development project.

Of the four officials who appeared for questioning, three are understood to be suspects facing charges of embezzlement of state funds under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes. The allegations concern ESI&D, the family company of First Lady Kim’s mother, Choi Eunsun, which is accused of receiving preferential treatment, such as not paying any development charges, during its apartment development project in the Yangpyeong Gongheung District from 2011 to 2016.

Furthermore, the special prosecutor team conducted a search and seizure of the office of A, the spouse of Maekyung Media Group Chairman Jang Daehwan and the chairperson of the Jeong Jin-ki Media Culture Foundation, in connection with the so-called "Lee Baeyong position-brokering allegations."

Investigators were sent to A’s office at Maekyung Media Group headquarters in Jung-gu to secure related materials. A is known to be acquainted with Lee Baeyong, former chairperson of the National Education Commission, and has been identified as a subject of investigation in connection with the position-brokering allegations. Lee Baeyong is suspected of offering a gold turtle and other gifts to First Lady Kim’s side and requesting personnel appointments at the beginning of the Yoon Sukyeol administration.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.