Seoul: Prosecutors decided Wednesday to indict a Unification Church official for allegedly delivering illegal political donations to lawmakers, while requesting additional investigation into other figures involved, including the leader.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office has indicted Song Gwang-seok, who is a former head of the Universal Peace Foundation affiliated with the church. This action is part of an ongoing investigation into the religious group's illegal political donations to both ruling and opposition parties.
Song is accused of delivering church funds amounting to 13 million won (US$8,960) to 11 lawmakers in 2019. On the previous day, the police transferred Han Hak-ja, the church leader, along with three other officials, including Song, to prosecutors. Han is currently in custody on a separate bribery charge involving former first lady Kim Keon Hee.
Prosecutors have requested the police to conduct an additional investigation into Han and two other officials. The allegations against the four individuals include making illegal donations to both ruling and opposition politicians in an organized manner in early 2019. Police suspect that church officials made the donations under their own names and were later reimbursed by the church.
The statute of limitations for the case was set to expire Friday. However, prosecutors stated that the limitation period for Han and her accomplices will be suspended following Song's indictment.