Shincheonji Chairman Lee Man-hee arrested over mass party membership allegations

Lee Man-hee, the chairman of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, has been arrested on charges of violating election law. The Seoul Central District Court issued an arrest warrant for Lee on June 24, citing concerns about the "possibility of evidence tampering."

The Shincheonji leader is accused of organizing the collective enlistment of around 50,000 followers into the People Power Party. The alleged motive was to influence the outcomes of the party's 2021 presidential primary and the 2024 general election.

The joint investigation team, formed by prosecutors and police to probe allegations of collusion between political parties and religious groups, has been looking into Shincheonji's alleged systematic recruitment of members into the People Power Party. This operation, reportedly known as the 'Pilates Operation,' involved setting quotas for regional party memberships. The investigation had previously led to the arrest of three key Shincheonji figures on June 17, including Goh Dong-an, identified as Lee's second-in-command and former general secretary.