Shincheonji chairman indicted for coercing members to join political party

Lee Man-hee, the chairman of the Shincheonji religious group, has been indicted on charges of violating the Political Parties Act. He is accused of coercing Shincheonji members to join the People Power Party in the lead-up to major elections.

The joint investigation headquarters announced on the 13th that Lee was arrested and indicted on charges including violating the Political Parties Act and obstructing business. He is alleged to have pressured followers to join a specific political party and interfered with the party's operations before the 8th National Simultaneous Local Elections in December 2021, the party leadership race in December 2022, and the 22nd National Assembly elections in August 2023.

Investigations revealed that Shincheonji leadership, under Lee's direction, decided it was necessary to engage with politicians to resolve issues surrounding the religious group. Consequently, they initiated a campaign to recruit party members among Shincheonji followers across various branches. The Shincheonji headquarters reportedly set membership enrollment targets for each branch, urged members to join, and continuously monitored their progress.

In addition to Lee, three former secretaries-general from different Shincheonji branches were also arrested and indicted on similar charges. Four other Shincheonji executives involved in the alleged offenses were indicted without detention. The joint investigation headquarters conducted searches of 56 locations, including Shincheonji's headquarters in Gwacheon and Lee's residence, and interviewed 203 individuals 272 times.