Chun Jae-soo responds to questions from reporters after arriving in Korea at Incheon Worldwide Airport on Dec. 11, 2025, and saying his resignation as minister of oceans and fisheries amid allegations that he obtained money and presents from the Unification Church. (pool picture)
On Thursday afternoon, President Lee Jae Myung accepted the resignation of former Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Chun Jae-soo following allegations that he accepted money and presents from the Unification Church. This makes Chun the primary minister-level official to fall from the Lee administration’s first Cupboard.
The transfer got here hours after Chun introduced his intention to resign whereas talking with reporters at Incheon Worldwide Airport upon getting back from a visit to the USA.
“I’ll step down from my ministerial place to verify [the allegations] are confirmed to be clear falsehoods,” he instructed reporters.
Whereas the presidential workplace and the ruling Democratic Occasion mentioned they might wait and see what additional investigation finds, there’s concern that the allegations of the Unification Church’s all-out lobbying efforts on each side of the aisle might negatively affect the drive to purge remnants of the previous Yoon administration and even harm Democrats in subsequent 12 months’s native elections.
Chun Jae-soo pronounces his resignation as minister of oceans and fisheries upon arriving on the Incheon Worldwide Airport on the morning of Dec. 11, 2025. (Kim Younger-won/Hankyoreh)
Concerning allegations of Chun receiving money and presents from the Unification Church, a senior presidential official urged that the previous head of the church’s worldwide operations, Yun Younger-ho, “might have lied to guard himself.”
“It stays unclear how a lot of [his assertions] are true. The precise details will seemingly solely emerge because the investigation progresses,” they mentioned.
Baek Seung-ah, the ground spokesperson for the Democratic Occasion, struck an identical tone when talking with reporters on the Nationwide Meeting.
“The particular counsel investigating [former first lady] Kim Keon-hee grew to become conscious of the alleged present lobbying by the Unification Church through the investigation and transferred the case to the Nationwide Workplace of Investigation,” Baek mentioned.
“The president has additionally ordered an intensive investigation. We consider the reality might be revealed by means of the investigation quickly,” she mentioned.
Throughout the Democratic Occasion, nonetheless, there’s additionally concern that the fallout from this alleged illicit lobbying scandal might undermine the perceived integrity of the Lee administration. This might permit the Individuals Energy Occasion — which had been on the defensive as a result of drive to eradicate insurrection-related corruption — a chance to distract from their very own scandals and launch a political counterattack.
“It’s clearly dangerous information for the administration {that a} sitting minister has resigned from workplace as a consequence of allegations of accepting cash,” a Democratic Occasion official remarked. “Above all, it’s deeply regrettable that the particular person embroiled within the allegations is [former] Minister Chun Jae-soo, the get together’s solely incumbent lawmaker in Busan and a key determine who’d been thought of a possible mayoral candidate for town.”
Certainly, when Chun was nominated because the inaugural minister of oceans and fisheries in June, many in political circles thought of it to be Lee’s strategic transfer to groom Chun as a candidate for Busan mayor.
The PPP is escalating its offensive, labeling this case the “Unification Church scandal” and demanding the introduction of a particular counsel. The opposition get together filed complaints with the police towards particular counsel Min Joung-kie and his investigation group for dereliction of obligation, alleging they didn’t conduct additional investigations regardless of securing testimony from Yun that he delivered cash and valuables to ruling get together figures.
The get together additionally filed complaints towards Chun and different former and present Democratic Occasion lawmakers talked about as targets of lobbying from the Unification Church, accusing them of violating the Political Funds Act and accepting bribes.
On Thursday, Park No-su, a deputy particular counsel on Min’s group, acknowledged at a briefing, “The targets talked about in Yun’s testimony weren’t politicians from a particular get together, however 5 politicians from each ruling and opposition events.”
The Hankyoreh has recognized the 5 politicians named by Yun because the Democratic Occasion-affiliated Chun, Unification Minister Chung Dong-young, and former lawmaker Lim Jong-seong, and the PPP-affiliated Rep. Na Kyung-won and former lawmaker Kim Gyu-hwan.
Amongst them, the particular counsel group has confirmed that three people — Chun, Lim, and Kim — had been particularly named as allegedly accepting graft and referred to the police. Yun reportedly acknowledged that he didn’t hand off any money to Chung. The opposite politicians have additionally denied receiving any cash from the spiritual group.
By Shin Hyeong-cheol, employees reporter; Choi Ha-yan, employees reporter; Park Ji-young, employees reporter; Lim Jae-woo, employees reporter
Please direct questions or feedback to [english@hani.co.kr]
