Shincheonji Leader Lee Man-hee Arrested Over 50,000 PPP Recruits in South Korea Probe
Updated
Updated · The Associated Press · Jun 24
Shincheonji Leader Lee Man-hee Arrested Over 50,000 PPP Recruits in South Korea Probe
3 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · Jun 24
Summary
Lee Man-hee, 95, was arrested Wednesday after a Seoul court said the Shincheonji leader posed a risk of destroying evidence in an election influence investigation.
Prosecutors suspect Lee used regional church branches to pressure more than 50,000 followers to join the conservative People Power Party from 2021 to 2024 and shape its presidential and legislative primaries.
Investigators say the effort included backing former President Yoon Suk Yeol's presidential bid to win favorable treatment for Shincheonji, including permits to expand church facilities.
The arrest widens South Korea's broader probe into ties between religious groups and conservative politicians, which has already led to the arrest of Unification Church leader Hak Ja Han and scrutiny of Yoon and his wife.
Could South Korea's proposed 'Church Closure Act' become a tool to silence all religious political dissent?
When a church mobilizes 50,000 voters, is it faith-based politics or a threat to democracy?
After a president's impeachment, are church leaders the next dominoes to fall in a wider political cleanup?
Over 50,000 Shincheonji Followers Allegedly Forced Into People Power Party: Inside South Korea’s Largest Religious-Political Scandal (2021–2026)
Overview
The report details how the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, under the direction of founder Lee Man-hee, allegedly launched the 'Pilates Project' to covertly enroll over 50,000 followers as dues-paying members of the People Power Party (PPP) between 2021 and 2024. This large-scale recruitment aimed to influence the PPP’s internal decisions, including key election primaries, by intervening in party membership and management. Authorities accuse Shincheonji of violating the Political Parties Act by coercing members and manipulating political processes, with investigations revealing the church’s motivation was to repay a favor to former President Yoon. The case highlights serious concerns about religious groups’ political interference in South Korea.