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 carried out the search and seizure at the PPP's office in western Seoul to seize the party's membership list, according to the sources.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the sect is accused of coercing its followers to join the PPP with the intention 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 that the church encouraged its followers to join the PPP under a project dubbed "Pilates," resulting in tens of thousands of followers becoming dues-paying members of the party.
The joint investigation was initiated last month to explore allegations of corrupt ties between religious groups and politicians. The team has been probing Shincheonji on suspicions of violating the Political Parties Act, focusing on allegations of intervening in the PPP's membership management and the party's decision-making process. Last month, the team also raided the group's headquarters and other facilities as part of their investigation.
Shincheonji has denied all allegations, including those regarding mass enrollment into the PPP and interference in the party's candidate nominations.