Special Prosecutor Probes Alleged Police Cover-up in Unification Church Gambling Case

The ongoing investigation by Special Prosecutor Kwon Chang-young into the alleged suppression of a probe into the Unification Church's overseas gambling activities is uncovering disturbing details about potential obstruction within the police force. As reported by Hankyoreh, the special prosecution team has interviewed police officers who claim there was a conflict with the National Police Agency regarding the initial intelligence report.

One key figure in this unfolding drama is a police officer, identified as 'A', who in 2022 obtained intelligence suggesting that Hak Ja Han, the Unification Church's leader, and other executives gambled approximately 60 billion won in Las Vegas casinos between 2008 and 2011. Officer 'A' filed a report and registered the information in the police's crime intelligence system. However, according to Officer 'A's testimony to the special prosecutor, the National Police Agency contacted him, questioning his report by stating the statute of limitations had expired. When Officer 'A' countered that additional evidence would be provided by informants and that the statute of limitations for embezzlement had not yet passed, a heated argument ensued.

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The National Police Agency contacted me, saying, 'Do you know that the statute of limitations has expired for the content you submitted now?'

This alleged confrontation highlights a critical point of contention: the police's decision not to formally investigate the gambling allegations. Officer 'A' expressed his inability to comprehend why the case was shelved, especially since he had indicated the possibility of submitting further evidence. The intelligence report, initially given the highest 'Star-B' rating, was later downgraded to 'Archived'. The special prosecutor's team is now focused on understanding the reasons behind the police's inaction.

This investigation builds upon previous work by a prior special prosecutor team, which had uncovered evidence suggesting that a former Unification Church official had informed a politician about an impending police investigation into the gambling allegations. The current special prosecutor's office has conducted searches of police agencies, including the National Police Agency, seeking to determine if and how this intelligence was leaked. The National Police Agency, however, claims its internal investigation did not find a clear source of the leak. The core issue remains whether the police actively suppressed a legitimate investigation, and the testimony of Officer 'A' provides a crucial, albeit contentious, piece of the puzzle.

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I clearly stated that additional evidence could be provided if an investigation were to commence, yet the case was buried for that reason. I cannot comprehend it.