SEOUL — A court in South Korea has sentenced the leader of the secretive Unification Church to two years in prison on charges of bribing officials, including the president’s wife.
The Seoul Central District Court on Monday issued the ruling against Han Hak-ja, 83, who was earlier charged with bribery and other corruption allegations, the Yonhap news agency reported.
Han, widow of the church’s founder Sun Myung Moon, was accused of providing luxury items, including a designer handbag, to former first lady Kim Keon Hee while her husband, Yoon Suk Yeol, was president, in an attempt to secure policy favors.
She arrived Monday for sentencing — at which prosecutors had sought a 13-year term — in a wheelchair, wearing hospital pyjamas and a surgical mask, surrounded by aides.
The Unification Church has a range of significant business interests, including media, education and food distribution, and has long drawn scrutiny over its political ties in South Korea.
In a statement to AFP, the church vowed to appeal, saying it disagreed with the court’s ruling.
“We cannot accept the court’s finding today that Han instructed the acts in question or was aware of and approved their unlawful purpose,” it said on Monday.
Other allegations against Han include providing illegal funds to an ex-lawmaker, Kweon Seon-dong, who is now in prison for receiving bribes.
“We have confirmed that she has been sentenced to two years” by the Seoul Central District Court, a spokesman for the Unification Church told AFP.
“Given that she stands at the apex of the Unification Church, and considering her position and role … a prison sentence is unavoidable,” the court said in its ruling, Yonhap reported.
Founded in 1954 by Han’s late husband Moon, the Unification Church has long drawn controversy over its teachings.
Han, revered by church members as the “True Mother,” took the helm of the church after Moon’s death in 2012. She was arrested in September 2025 in connection with a bribery case involving the former first lady.
The Unification Church is best known for its mass wedding ceremonies, in which couples of different nationalities are matched, held at its headquarters in South Korea.
Han’s arrest rocked the church, which claims to have 10 million followers worldwide.
Since her arrest, Han has repeatedly been transferred between a detention center and hospital for medical treatment.
After the verdict, the church leader returned to hospital, where as court has ruled said she can remain until Wednesday due to medical issues including a heart condition, pain from a fall, and glaucoma treatment.
“Whether she will seek a further suspension remains a matter for discussion among her attorneys in consideration of her health conditions,” the church spokesman said.
The church came under renewed scrutiny in Japan after the 2022 assassination of former prime minister Shinzo Abe, with the suspected gunman blaming the organization for his family’s financial ruin.
Source: Saudi Gazette