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Lee Man-hee, the founder and head of the non secular group Shincheonji. Within the background is the Individuals Energy Social gathering headquarters. (Hankyoreh file picture; Yonhap)
The joint police-prosecutor activity pressure investigating alleged collusion between the Shincheonji non secular motion and political circles has secured testimony from a former senior official within the church stating that there was an organized effort to enroll Shincheonji followers within the conservative Individuals Energy Social gathering, or PPP, within the months main as much as the 2022 presidential election.
The duty pressure reportedly has a recording of a former chief of the Shincheonji church successfully acknowledging an organized mobilization of followers to register with the PPP.
The Hankyoreh confirmed Tuesday that the joint activity pressure has questioned a former senior official with the Shincheonji sect concerning suspicions that it mobilized numerous followers to register with the PPP months earlier than the presidential election in March 2022.
The previous senior official in query reportedly instructed interrogators that there was a mobilization of Shincheonji followers from Might to July of 2021 to register with the Individuals Energy Social gathering. The previous official instructed investigators that Lee Man-hee, the founder and president of the church on the time, relayed orders to the leaders of the church’s youth affiliation, wives’ affiliation, and senior affiliation. In keeping with the official, the mass registration was led by a special senior official (recognized as “N”) who dealt with the church’s normal affairs.
Relating to why Shincheonji followers threw their weight behind Yoon Suk-yeol within the presidential main in 2021, the official instructed investigators that the temper on the time was that Shincheonji “wouldn’t survive” if Lee Jae Myung have been elected president, and that Yoon was seen as the one candidate realistically able to defeating Lee. The official additional instructed investigators that the transfer was the church’s method of “returning the favor” after Yoon blocked two raids of the church throughout his time as prosecutor normal.
In March 2020, when the nation centered on Shincheonji as an epicenter within the unfold of COVID-19, prosecutors despatched again two requests for warrants to raid the Daegu department of the Shincheonji church. Yoon was the prosecutor normal on the time.
As soon as the press started to report on the allegations that Shincheonji followers joined the PPP en masse, the investigative activity pressure secured a recording of the church’s No. 2, surnamed Ko, discussing follow-up measures.
The related recording was made in February 2022, during which Ko allegedly says, “Isn’t it true that [“N”] really bought followers to register with the celebration in Might and June of final 12 months?”
The feedback are an efficient admission of an organized effort to have followers register as PPP members.
Investigators suspect that Shincheonji orchestrated the infiltration of the PPP forward of not solely the 2022 presidential election, but additionally forward of the Grand Nationwide Social gathering main main as much as the 2007 presidential election.
The Shincheonji chief interrogated by the duty pressure additionally reportedly mentioned that the church mobilized followers to register with the Saenuri Social gathering.
The joint activity pressure is at present investigating the chief of the church’s youth committee, surnamed Cha. Cha headed the youth committee of Lee Hoi-chang’s presidential marketing campaign in 2002. In 2010, Cha reportedly served as a non-standing deputy spokesperson for the Grand Nationwide Social gathering.
By Kang Jae-gu, employees reporter
Please direct questions or feedback to [english@hani.co.kr]
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