Seoul: Investigators on Friday raided the headquarters of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) over allegations of mass recruitment of followers of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a nonmainstream religious sect, legal sources said. A joint team of police investigators and prosecutors arrived at the PPP's office in western Seoul in the morning to carry out a search and seizure of materials, including the party's membership list, according to the sources.
According to Yonhap News Agency, about 11 hours later, the PPP announced that the team had withdrawn "empty-handed" after a standoff. "I understand that they did not take any seized items or specific objects from not only the party headquarters but also the database company," stated PPP senior spokesperson Park Sung-hoon. The sect is accused of forcing its followers to join the PPP with the aim of influencing the results of the party's presidential primary in 2021 and the party's candidate nominations for the 2024 general elections.
The joint team reportedly secured statements from former Shincheonji officials claiming that the church encouraged its followers to join the PPP under a project dubbed "Pilates," resulting in tens of thousands becoming dues-paying members of the party. Park issued a statement accusing the team of conducting a targeted investigation against the PPP, while allegations of links between the sect and the ruling Democratic Party have also been raised.
The joint investigation was launched last month to look into allegations of corrupt ties between religious groups and politicians. The team has been examining Shincheonji on suspicions of violating the Political Parties Act over allegations of interfering in the PPP's membership management and decision-making process. Last month, the team also raided the group's headquarters and other facilities. Shincheonji has denied all allegations, including those concerning mass enrollment into the PPP and intervention in the party's candidate nominations.