The special investigation team failed to summon former Unification Church world headquarters head Yoon Young-ho, who is accused of delivering cash and valuables worth tens of millions of won to Kim Keon-hee, the spouse of former President Yoon Suk-yeol.
The special investigation team announced in a notice on the afternoon of the 19th that "the side of former Unification Church world headquarters head Yoon Young-ho submitted a request for postponement unilaterally without any schedule consultation with the special investigation team," adding, "the special investigation team plans to process this as a noncompliance in principle."
The special investigation team was scheduled to summon former headquarters head Yoon on the morning of the 20th at 10 a.m. Yoon is accused of delivering two Chanel bags worth 20 million won from April to June 2022 and a Graff diamond necklace worth 60 million won and Cheonsusam concentrated tea from June to August 2022 to Jeon Sung-bae, a practitioner of the "Daegeukgye" sect, for the purpose of soliciting Unification Church issues.
The details of the solicitation include five items: ▲ support for public development aid projects such as development of land along the Mekong River in Cambodia ▲ acquisition of YTN ▲ invitation to presidential inauguration ceremony ▲ hosting the fifth office of the United Nations in Korea ▲ attendance at Unification Church events by the Minister of Education.
Mr. Jeon said he had heard about the solicitation from the Unification Church side, but thought it was nonsense, and stated that he lost the necklace and bag he received from the former headquarters head.
He admitted receiving 10 million won twice from the former headquarters head as a prayer fee or consulting fee, but denied it was a compensation for connections to the Yoon Suk-yeol administration.
However, it has been reported that in a previous investigative statement, the former headquarters head said the valuables handed over under the guise of solicitation were all carried out in accordance with the wishes of the leader and were matters for which approval was obtained, leading to an expansion of the investigation into the Unification Church's upper ranks.
The special investigation team is examining whether the former headquarters head met with former President Yoon Suk-yeol at the direction of the leader and delivered gifts to Kim Keon-hee, relating Unification Church issues. They are also probing whether gifts worth tens of millions of won that were to be given to Kim were purchased with Unification Church funds.
On the 18th, the special investigation team conducted searches on the Unification Church world headquarters in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, the main church in Yongsan, Seoul, and the Unification Foundation. The searches reportedly included the residence and mobile phone of the former world headquarters head.