• Han Hak-ja, Unification Church leader, denies directing bribery of politicians.
• Former First Lady Kim Keon Hee faces bribery charges involving luxury gifts.
• Investigations unveil the church's history of political entanglements.
• Kweon Seong-dong is implicated in receiving illicit funds from the church.
• The church’s reputation suffers amid ongoing criminal probes into political corruption.

The leader of South Korea's Unification Church, Han Hak-ja, has publicly denied any allegations of directing the group to bribe political figures, including former First Lady Kim Keon Hee and politician Kweon Seong-dong. These claims arise amid a criminal investigation into the church and its potential links to political misconduct related to ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol. On September 1, Han declared, "False information is being spread that our church provided illegal political funds under my directive," emphasizing her innocence regarding any unlawful transactions, according to Reuters and Channel News Asia.

As the investigation unfolds, former First Lady Kim Keon Hee now faces charges for receiving luxurious gifts, including Chanel handbags and a diamond necklace, allegedly in exchange for using her influence to assist the Unification Church's business interests. Prosecutors suggest that Kim received bribes worth approximately 80 million won (about US$57,631), while Kweon Seong-dong is under scrutiny for allegedly accepting illicit funds from a church official. Kweon has staunchly refuted these allegations, as reported by Reuters and Channel News Asia.

The current bribery probe reveals the Unification Church's long history of intertwining with political power—a situation that experts consider inherent to its operational ethos. Tark Ji-il, a professor of religion in South Korea, stated, "It's in their DNA to seek political and economic clout endlessly." The church’s founder, Sun Myung-moon, established a "business-religion complex" that merges its religious objectives with broader influence. This point is reinforced by South China Morning Post, which highlights the church's extensive political entanglements.

Documents reveal that Yoon Young-ho, a church official, allegedly delivered significant campaign contributions to Kweon in exchange for political favors, aligning with the church’s historical lobbying practices. Following these events, Kim reportedly received extravagant items and requested church members to support Yoon’s campaign, highlighting the church's operational tactics, according to South China Morning Post. Despite the unfolding scandal, the Unification Church has denied any systemic involvement in such misconduct.