Seoul:The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) on Wednesday called for a thorough investigation following the discovery that followers of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a nonmainstream religious sect, had joined the ruling Democratic Party (DP).
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Democratic Party confirmed these findings after an internal investigation but withheld further details, including the number of Shincheonji members involved.
PPP floor leader Jeong Jeom-sig urged the Serious Crime Investigation Agency or the police to investigate whether Shincheonji members joined the Democratic Party, emphasizing the need for consistent standards following a police raid on the PPP's headquarters related to allegations of Shincheonji followers being forced to join the party. He pointed out that investigators had searched the PPP's membership records concerning the mass recruitment of Shincheonji members.
A joint prosecution-police investigation team has already determined that at least 56,472 church members were coerced into joining the PPP. The church's 95-year-old founder, Lee Man-hee, is currently on trial, accused of forcing his followers to join the PPP to influence party primaries and nominations for the upcoming 2022 presidential election and the 2024 general elections. The team also found evidence suggesting that Shincheonji followers might have been forced to join the DP.
PPP spokesperson Cho Yong-sool has called for a comprehensive investigation, including a special counsel probe, to ascertain the extent of Shincheonji membership within the DP and to explore any potential connections between the religious group and the party.