A Seoul court on Tuesday issued a warrant to detain the Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja over evidence-tampering concerns linked to allegations of providing illegal political funds to former conservative party’s floor leader in 2022. She is also being investigated for three other alleged offenses.
The Seoul Central District Court approved the detention warrant five days after it was requested by the special counsel team — led by Min Joong-ki — investigating multiple suspicions involving the former first lady Kim Keon Hee.
Min’s team sought the warrant on four suspected offenses, including charges of subornation of destroying evidence, occupational embezzlement, and violating the Political Funds Act and the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act.
The court issued Han’s warrant at around 6:30 a.m., 12 hours after the warrant application hearing ended.
Han reportedly denied the charges during the five-hour hearing, insisting she has no interest in politics, does not know much about it and never gave money to any politician.
Her legal team argued that there was no risk of flight or evidence tampering considering her age and deteriorating health.
The special counsel submitted a 220-page report to the court earlier to emphasize the necessity of Han’s detention, citing her three consecutive refusals to comply with special counsel summonses on Sept. 8, Sept. 11 and Sept. 15.
The Unification Church leader left the court building in a wheelchair without answering any questions from the press. Reporters asked how much was given to Rep. Kweon Seong-dong, the former floor leader of the People Power Party, and whether the money was to support former President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Han was taken to the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, to await the court’s decision.
Han will be held at the center’s waiting room until she is admitted to a detention cell on Tuesday.
sj_lee@heraldcorp.com
