Unification Church leader named suspect in bribery case involving politicians

Police on Monday identified Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja as a suspect in a bribery case involving politicians from both ruling and opposition parties as it carried out sweeping raids for the investigation, officials said. Han, who is currently on trial for allegedly providing luxury gifts to former first lady Kim Keon Hee — the wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol — is accused of involvement in the latest case that involves multiple politicians, including former Oceans Minister Chun Jae-soo. As part of the investigation, police sent investigators to the church's Cheonjeonggung, known as Han's residence, in Gapyeong County and the church's headquarters in Seoul and eight other locations for searches and seizures. Police seek to also search Chun's residence and office as well as the homes of former Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Lim Jong-seong and former United Future Party lawmaker Kim Gyu-hwan on suspicion of receiving bribes from the church. The investigation take place after a former church official implicated in the bribery case involving the former first lady testif