Seoul: A former ranking official of the Unification Church was sentenced by a court Wednesday to one year and two months in prison for offering luxury gifts to former first lady Kim Keon Hee and illegal political funds to a lawmaker.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Seoul Central District Court handed out the prison term to Yun Young-ho, who formerly served as head of the church's global headquarters, after convicting him on multiple charges, including embezzlement and violation of political fund laws.
Yun was indicted by a special counsel team on charges of delivering a diamond necklace, a Chanel bag, and other gifts to Kim through a shaman in 2022 while requesting government cooperation on church-related issues.
He is also accused of providing illegal political funds to People Power Party lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong and other political figures from 2021 to 2024 in exchange for cooperation in church events.
Special counsel Min Joong-ki's team had demanded a four-year prison term for Yun in the previous hearing last month.
The court stated that Yun offered expensive gifts and money to Kim and Kweon, respectively, and embezzled church funds in the process.