FFWPU Europe and the Middle East: S Korean Cops 13-Hour Grilling of Won-Ju McDevitt

Top aide to Mother Han in marathon interrogation at escalation of police probe into lobbying as politicians from both large parties are named JoongAng Ilbo The large South Korean daily JoongAng Ilbo published on 18th December an article headlined “Police Question Former Chief of Staff to Hak Ja Han for 13 Hours… Investigation into Unification Church Allegations Accelerates”.

See also Faith, Finance, Fairness: Rethinking the Narrative

See also S. Korea: What Happens When Faith Becomes a Crime?

Reporter Han Yeong-hye (한영혜) writes that the South Korean police have significantly intensified their investigation into allegations that the Family Federation while Yoon Yeong-ho (윤영호) was in a leadership position, allegedly funneled money and luxury goods to prominent politicians in exchange for political favors.

At the center of this latest development is a prolonged, 13-hour police interrogation of Jeong Won-joo (정원주), the former chief of staff to Hak Ja Han (한학자) ‒ also called Mother Han ‒ co- founder and current leader of the Federation. The length and Jeong Won-ju [McDevitt], intensity of the questioning signal that authorities believe Jeong January 19, 2025 video holds crucial knowledge about the financial operations of the religious organization and its alleged ties to political figures.

The interrogation was conducted on 18th December by a special task force of the National Police Agency at police headquarters in Seodaemun, Seoul. According to JoongAng Ilbo, Jeong was questioned as a witness rather than a suspect, but her stature within the organization underscores the importance of her

testimony. She previously served as vice president of Cheonmu-won, formerly the Family Federation’s highest administrative body, and is widely regarded as having been the second most powerful figure within the organizational hierarchy. Known as one of Mother Han’s closest aides, Jeong is believed to have had oversight of, or at least deep familiarity with, the Federation’s financial flows.

Following the marathon questioning session, Jeong declined to answer questions from reporters. Journalists pressed her on whether the alleged transfers of money and valuables to politicians were carried out on direct instructions from Mother Han herself, and on the origins of a large cash reserve kept in a Federation vault. Jeong’s silence did little to quell media speculation.

At the core of the police probe are allegations that between 2018 and 2020, Yoon Yeong-ho (윤영호) provided substantial cash payments and luxury watches to three senior political figures: Jeon Jae-soo (전재수), a former Minister of Oceans and Fisheries; Lim Jong-seong (임종성), a former lawmaker from the

Jeon Jae-soo (2023) Democratic Party (민주당); and Kim Gyu-hwan (김규환), a former lawmaker from the conservative Future United Party (미래통합당). The alleged gifts, reportedly worth tens of thousands of dollars, raise serious questions under South Korea’s anti-corruption laws and the Political Funds Act, which strictly regulates donations to politicians.

Investigators are particularly focused on whether these transfers were linked to lobbying efforts connected to Federation priorities. One recurring issue is the long- standing proposal to build an undersea tunnel between South Korea and Japan, a project promoted by organizations affiliated with the Family Federation. Police are examining whether financial inducements were offered to secure political support for this initiative.

Suspicion has grown as it emerged that all three politicians attended an event in 2018 related to the undersea tunnel, hosted by the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP), an organization founded in 2016 under the initiative of Mother Han. Further fueling concerns, former Minister Jeon The proposed route for an undersea tunnel linking reportedly continued to participate in Japan and South Korea Federation-related forums connected to the tunnel project as recently as October of this year. Investigators have also obtained congratulatory messages sent by Jeon to Family Federation events, which they are analyzing as part of a broader effort to map the depth of his relationship with the religious organization.

Another line of inquiry involves a Federation-affiliated foundation’s purchase of 500 copies of Jeon’s book shortly after its publication in 2019, at a cost of about 10 million won (ca. 6.800 US dollars). Police are examining whether this purchase constituted an indirect financial benefit and whether it was authorized or later reviewed by Mother Han herself.

The investigation is not limited to witnesses. On 17th December, police conducted an in-person interview with Mother Han at Seoul Detention Center, where the 82-year-old religious leader is being held since 22nd September. The officers also questioned a Federation official described as the organization’s “treasurer” to determine the origin and use of the large cache of cash allegedly kept in Mother Han’s “personal vault”. Yoon Yeong-ho, August 9, 2020 Authorities have already questioned Yoon Yeong-ho, the former

head of the Family Federation’s world headquarters, who is widely seen as the initial source of the allegations. Investigators are now cross-checking his statements against financial records, testimony from other insiders, and physical evidence obtained through search and seizure operations.

According to the JoongAng Ilbo article, these raids, carried out at the Federation’s main compound in Gapyeong and its Seoul headquarters, yielded records and receipts related to luxury goods purchases. Police are reportedly tracing the purchase of high-end watches from brands such as Bulgari or Cartier and may extend the investigation to the retail outlets involved.

Former Minister Jeon has vehemently denied the allegations. In a Facebook post, he dismissed the claims with sarcasm, stating that authorities “might as well say” he received enormous sums of cash and dozens of watches. He has also rejected the idea that he would trade political support for personal gain, emphasizing his long- standing opposition to the Korea-Japan undersea tunnel project on policy grounds. According to Jeon, the project would harm the future of the city of Busan, and he argues it is implausible that he would compromise such convictions for relatively modest personal Initiated politically charged benefits. investigation against opponent: Lee Jae-myung, President of Analysts view the recent developments as part of a wave of South Korea since June 4, 2025 political vengeance dressed up as justice, against what is perceived as conservative religious leaders with a lot of influence. Lee became president in June 2025. He soon appointed special prosecutors to investigate possible wrongdoings by the former conservative government and its supporters. On 18th July, the largest church in the world, the Yoido Full Gospel Church, was raided by a large party of police officers investigating alleged corruption ties to the former government and unlawful political funding.

On the same day, several locations belonging to the Family Federation were raided by hundreds of police officers sent by the special prosecutors.

In July, special prosecutors raided the home and offices of another religious leader, Billy Kim (Kim Jang-hwan ‒ 김장환), former Reverend Jeon Kwang-hoon pastor of Sanghwa Central Baptist Church and founder of the Far from Sarang Jeil Church (March Eastern Broadcasting Corporation. His alleged crime was illegal 2024) lobbying. The investigation is still going on.

In August, Reverend Jeon Kwang-hoon (전광훈) from the large Sarang Jeil Church was given a big fine for what was claimed to be unlawful fundraising practices at a large rally in support of former President Yoon.

And pastor Son Hyun-bo (손현보) from the megachurch Segyero in Busan has been held in detention since August while his alleged illegal support for the Yoon administration is being investigated.

But it certainly looks like the prosecution initiated by the current Lee administration is now backfiring. As the JoongAng Ilbo report reveals, several lawmakers from Lee’s own Democratic Party are being drawn into the investigations. Pastor Son Hyun-bo (August 2025) See also S. Korea: What Happens When Faith Becomes a Crime?

Text: Knut Holdhus, editor

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require context, not prejudice

-·- The South Korean daily Segye llbo carried on 17th December an opinion piece which in English would be headlined “After Faith, Is Finance the Next Target? Search. Another Narrative Frame Around the Unification Church “. The logo of the Segye lfbo See also 5. Korea: What Happens When Faith Becomes a Crime?

See also Escalation in Probe: 73-Hour Police Questioning Categories

The article written by religious affairs correspondent Jeong Seong-su (~j{J,’ ), points out t hat in recent months, the Family Federation - formerly the Unification Church - a rel igious movement founded in Korea but now active world w ide, has once again become the subject of public controversy in South Korea. The immediate trigger was a police search of the Federation ‘s Send us a message headquarters, during which authorities discovered approximately 28 bil lion South Korean won in cash - roughly 19 First Name * Last Name

Religious affairs reporter Jeong Seong-su (:g-AfTJ. million US dollars.

Once this fig ure was reported in the media, it quickly became the centerpiece of public debate. Headlines an d commentary Email * • Photo focused less on the legal details of the investigation and more on /2025): Segye lfbo Email Address a broader, emotionally charged question: why w ould a religious organization hold that much money at all7 Your Message * For many observers, particularly those a lready skept ical of the Family Federation, the number itself seemed self-evidently problematic. Questions followed almost automatica lly: Is it normal for a religious group to have such financia l reserves? Cou ld

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sums indicate wrongdoing? These reactions, the article argues, reveal less about proven facts and more about deeply ingrained assumptions surrounding the Family Submit Federation ‘s identity and legitimacy.

The central c laim of the article is stra ightforward but controversial: the financial figure, taken on its own, does not justify moral outrage or suspic ion. In the context of large relig ious organizations, 28 b illion won is not an extraordinary amount. To illustrate this, the author points to more fam iliar examples.

The Vatican, which governs the g lobal Catholic Church, operates on an annual b udget

St. Peter’s Square and the Vatican. Photo {August 2024): Zakarie Faibis/ Wikimedia Commons. License: CC ASA 4.0 Int. Cropped

exceed ing one trillion won - ca. 680 million US dollars.

Even within South Korea, the Jogye Order of Buddhism - the country’s largest Buddhist denomination - has publicly d isclosed annual operating budgets in the range of 100 billion won (ca. 68 m illion US doll ars). In these cases, substantial financial resources are generally understood as a natural consequence of large-scale religious, cultural , and social activity.

Yet the Family Federation is treated d ifferently . Its finances are often framed not as functional resources but as inherently excessive or suspicious. The article suggests that this double standard arises from how t he Federation is perceived in Korean soc iety. Despite its international presence, many Koreans still see the Family Federation as a marg inal or fringe group - a “cu lt”, a small sect, or a religion confined to its country of origin. When such an organization is imagined as m inor or illegitimat e, any significant financial capacity is interpreted as inappropriate or undeserved.

This perception gap is crucia l for Western readers to understand. In practice, the Family Federation operat es far beyond t he sca le typical ly associated w ith smal l religious movements.

After delivering donations of ca. $ 62.000 for flood victims at the end of July 2025, Seo Tae-weon, Governor of Gapyeong County {second from the left}, Lee Ki-seong, Director of th e Family Federation ‘s HJ Cheonju Cheonbo Training Center and Cheonshimwon {third from the left}, Kim Yeong-seok, Senior Vice President of the Family Federotion {fourth from the left}, and Park Jeong-hoon, Head of Management at Segye /Ibo {first from the left}, pose for a commemorative photo. Photo: FFWPU

It functions in many countries as both a religio us body and a c ivil society organization. Over the decades, it has o rganized interfaith dialogues, internationa l peace forums, and global conferences that have drawn part icipation from former heads of state, d ip lomats, scholars, and religious leaders. It has also supported education, healthcare, and infrastructure projects in developing regions, funded scholarships and welfare programs for marginalized communities, and sponsored international awards recogn izing contributions to peace. More recently, it has engaged in global d iscussions on climate change and susta inability.

Activities of this scope are not financed on a year-to-year basis alone. They req u ire long-term p lanning, multi-year budgets, and financ ial reserves that can susta in projects across countries and political cycles. From th is perspective, holding substantial cash assets or dedicated funds is not unusual but rather a practical necessity. Correspondent’s Jeong’s article emphasizes that focusing solely on the size or form of these assets, without exam in ing how they were accumulated or used, leads t o m isleading conclusions.

The author also addresses a deeper ideological tension that often shapes public reactions to relig ious organizations. When religious groups engage active ly in social or international issues, t hey are frequently criticized for being “too pol itica l”.

On-the-ground Family Federation volunteers in Gopyeong, South Korea ofter the floods 20th July 2025. Photo: FFWPU

When t hey withdraw from public life, they are accused of being irresponsible or indifferent to social problems. According to t he article, the Family Federation has consistently chosen engagement over sil ence, grounding its act ions in a theo log ical int erpretation that emphasizes responsibility not only to ind ividua l believers but to society and the world at large. This outwa rd-looking approach, h owever, has also made the Federation more v isib le - and therefore more vu lnerable - to cr iticism.

At the heart of the controversy lies a confusion between two distinct issues. One is the legitimate question of lega lity and transparency: how funds are raised, whet her donat ions are voluntary, and w hether money is used in accordance w ith the law. The other is a more subjective moral j udgment based purely on the amount of money involved. T he article arg ues that these two are often deliberately conf lated. If u n lawful fundraising methods or expend itures are proven, criticism is justified. But absen t such proof, condemn ing a religious organization simply for possessing large financial reso u rces reflects prejud ice rather t han princ ipled oversight.

The article ultimat ely poses a provocative question: w hat is the real problem people have w ith the Family Federation? Is it concrete evidence of unlaw fu l behavior, or is it d iscomfort with the idea that a religion orig inating in Korea has grown into a g lo bal movement with sign ificant influence and resources? Implicitly, the author suggest s that the latter p lays a substantia l role. As long as the Federation is view ed through the lens of being a “cult” or a “minor sect”, it wil l be den ied the legitimacy routinely granted to older or more familiar religious institutions.

‘ii4J9J i,,~~ ~aa; 10,000,000r~~e!iJ

A donation of 70 million won /co. 6.800 US dollars) by the above-mentioned large Buddhist Jogye Order to Busan Metropolitan City in February 2020 to combat the Corona virus. Photo: Busan Metropolitan City. License: Korea Open Government License

The conclusion emphasizes the importance of fairness. Transparency and public accountability are essentia l st andards for any religious organizat ion, but they must be applied consistent ly and w ithout prej udice. If the Family Federation’s funds are built through voluntary donations, they fall under protections commonly associated with freedom of relig ion and property rights in democratic societies. In that case, the existence of large financia l reserves should not automatically invite condemnation. Instead, the debate should shift toward verifiable facts, the actua l scale of the organization’s activities, and the long-term v ision guiding its work.

In short, the article calls for a more rational and even-h anded discussion - one that replaces emotiona l reactions and inherited stereotypes w it h contextual understanding and evidence-based j udgment.

See also S. Korea: What Happens When Faith Becomes o Crime?

See also Escalation in Probe: 73-Hour Police Questioning

Text: Knut Holdhus, editor

Featured image above: Faith, finance, and fairness. lllustrotion: Chat GPT 18th December 2025, edited

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