[Exclusive] Unification Church No. 2’s Notebook Contains 'One-on-One Meeting with Song Gwangseok' Memo... Joint Investigation Team Tracks Political Lobbying Links

Records of "Private Meeting with Kwangseok Song" Found in Wonju Jeong's Notebook
Schedules of Meetings with President Hakja Han Also Noted
Indications of Contacts with Political Figures, Including Seongdong Kwon
Joint Investigation Headquar

While Song Gwang-seok, former president of the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) and a key figure identified as the 'main conduit for the Unification Church's political lobbying,' is under investigation by the Special Joint Investigation Headquarters on Religion-Politics Collusion (headed by Daejeon High Prosecutors' Office Chief Kim Taehoon), it has been confirmed that the notebook of Jeong Wonjoo, the former chief secretary and the Unification Church’s second-in-command, contains records of meetings between President Han Hak-ja and former President Song.

According to a comprehensive report by The Asia Business Daily on March 11, the 2022 notebook of former chief secretary Jeong—secured by investigators—mentions Song’s name a total of five times. The notebook contains specific entries about meetings scheduled between President Han and former President Song, as well as related notes, indicating that Song acted as an intermediary, serving as a link between the leadership of the Unification Church and political circles.

Han Hakja, the president of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (Unification Church), who had refused the special prosecutor's summons three times, is appearing at the Kim Geonhee Special Prosecutor's Office set up in the KT Gwanghwamun Building in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

On the page dated September 6, 2022, the notebook reads, "Today, Yunbon (Yoon Young-ho, former World Headquarters director) did not conduct roll call, so I informed and passed it. Instead, [the President] is looking for various people (including Song Gwang-seok)." The very next day, September 7, there is a record stating, "9:00 AM, one-on-one meeting with President Song Gwang-seok." In addition, Song’s name repeatedly appears in entries such as ▲October 5, 'Finance and Budget Strategy Meeting (Song Gwang-seok)' ▲October 17, 'President of the Korean Professors’ Association, Song Gwang-seok' ▲November 7, 'Song Gwang-seok PWPA', and more.

The notebook also describes former lawmaker Kwon Seong-dong as 'Elder (Kwon)' and records schedules involving contacts with various political figures from both the ruling and opposition parties. The joint investigation team is cross-checking whether the meetings noted in Jeong’s notebook match the actual timing of contacts with political figures, as they seek to track the links in the Unification Church’s suspected lobbying activities centered around Song Gwang-seok.

Song has been identified as the intermediary facilitating the Unification Church’s approach to political figures. From 2018 to 2020, he concurrently served as president of both the UPF, an affiliate of the Unification Church, and the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP), a group supporting members of the National Assembly. UPF was established in 2005 by Sun Myung Moon and Han Hak-ja with the aim of 'ending global conflict and realizing a world of peace.' It includes organizations such as the IAPP. Jeon Jae-soo, a lawmaker accused of receiving money from the Unification Church, as well as former lawmakers Lim Jong-sung and Kim Kyuhwan, are all associated with IAPP. Former lawmaker Lim served as the chair of the organization, while Jeon and Kim participated in its events multiple times as a member and an advisor, respectively.

Meanwhile, Song was questioned by the police special investigation team on December 24 and 26 last year, followed by questioning as a reference by the Joint Investigation Headquarters on Religion-Politics Collusion on March 10.

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