Seoul: A joint police-prosecution task force has indicted Lee Man-hee, the founder of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, on charges of forced political party membership. Lee, who is currently detained, is accused of coercing followers to join the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) in the lead-up to elections.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the indictment follows a local court's decision to grant an arrest warrant for Lee. The warrant was issued on Wednesday due to concerns about potential evidence destruction, with charges including obstruction of business and violations of the Political Parties Act.
The task force noted that the indictment was necessary as the five-year statute of limitations for Lee's alleged activities was approaching. The allegations relate to the forced enrollment of church members into a political party starting in July 2021.
Lee, 94, is suspected of coercing at least 56,472 church members into joining the PPP from July 2021 to January 2024. This was allegedly an attempt to sway the party's 2022 presidential primary and 2024 general election primaries. The timeframe of these enrollments coincides with the period when the PPP was the ruling party under former President Yoon Suk Yeol.