Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja appeared at the Seoul High Court on Tuesday for the first hearing of her appeal against a two-year prison sentence.
She arrived in a wheelchair and was wearing a hospital gown. The court was also scheduled to consider her request for bail.
The Seoul Central District Court sentenced Han on Aug. 31 for political funding violations and bribery-related offenses, including giving 100 million won ($74,000) to then-People Power Party Rep. Kweon Seong-dong and providing luxury gifts to former first lady Kim Keon Hee. Han has denied wrongdoing.
Separately, a joint police-prosecution investigation said the church made 189 million won in illicit donations to at least 132 politicians from 2019 to 2025. Han and three other church officials were also indicted over the alleged embezzlement of 10.5 billion won in church funds.
Investigators said they found insufficient evidence to establish Han's direct involvement in the broader political donations.
Han has been temporarily released from custody several times under court-ordered suspensions of detention citing her health. In April, the Seoul Central District Court extended the measure for a month after her lawyers said her condition had worsened and she needed hospital treatment. Han underwent heart surgery in September 2025.
The Unification Church, formally known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, was founded in South Korea in the 1950s by Moon Sun-myung, Han's late husband. It is known internationally for its mass weddings and has faced scrutiny over allegations that it sought to influence politicians.
tammy@heraldcorp.com
