The Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) summons former special counsel deputy director Park Sang-jin as a reference witness today over allegations of biased handling in the Kim Keon-hee special probe linked to the Unification Church scandal.
Details of Today’s Summoning
CIO investigators, including team leader Cha Jeong-hyun, face questioning as part of four summons scheduled for April 19. Park Sang-jin, previously involved in the special counsel’s examination of Unification Church affiliates, receives reference status.34
Background on Unification Church Allegations
The special counsel team probed suspicions arising in August when Unification Church executives allegedly bribed over 20 Presidential Office staff members. Despite statements from former Unification Church World Headquarters President Yoon Young-ho confirming the bribes, the team failed to summon key suspects.3
During Yoon Suk-yeol’s tenure as Prosecutor General from 2018 to 2020, similar cases involving executives from Hyundai Department Store and others surfaced. Revelations indicated improper handling, yet no thorough investigations followed, according to reviewed documents.
CIO’s Response and Ongoing Actions
CIO investigators bypassed formal suspect status for most involved, summoning only special counsel Min Jung-ki as a suspect while treating others as references. They anticipate prosecution based on evidence gathered by November, insiders confirm.
The office raided the special counsel team on December 26, targeting Kim Keon-hee’s investigation lead. On January 23, CIO convened a joint session with prosecutors’ special teams and conducted searches on office PCs amid handover proceedings.7
January efforts focused solely on Cha Jeong-hyun as a reference for Unification Church-related matters. Cha Jeong-hyun stated during questioning, ‘Yoon Young-ho’s remarks do not constitute a major issue,’ denying claims of significant misconduct.
