Seoul: The founder of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a nonmainstream religious sect, made an appearance at a court hearing concerning his potential arrest over allegations of coercing followers to join the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) in the lead-up to elections in 2021 and 2024.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee Man-hee, aged 95, arrived at the Seoul Central District Court with the assistance of a walking stick. His appearance follows a request by a prosecution-police task force for a warrant to arrest him on charges related to obstruction of business and violations of the Political Parties Act.
Lee is accused of compelling at least 56,472 members of his church to become members of the PPP between July 2021 and January 2024. The alleged intention behind this was to influence the outcomes of the party's presidential primary in 2021 and the general election primaries in 2024. In exchange, Lee reportedly sought favors for the church, including the repurposing of its building.
The timeframe of the alleged forced memberships coincides significantly with the period when the PPP held the ruling party status, with former President Yoon Suk Yeol in power. Lee has reportedly denied the claims made against him.
The court is set to decide on the issuance of the arrest warrant following the hearing.