Special prosecutor summons former Unification Church official over gambling probe

South Korea's special prosecutor team is set to question Jung Won-ju, former secretary-general to the Unification Church's president, on July 31. This marks the first time Jung will be investigated by the team.

The special prosecutor is examining why police failed to investigate allegations that Unification Church officials, including its president Han Hak-ja, engaged in 60 billion won worth of overseas gambling at Las Vegas casinos between 2008 and 2011. They are also looking into how information about this investigation reached Kwon Seong-dong, a lawmaker from the ruling People Power Party.

Previously, a different special prosecutor team had investigated Kwon for allegedly relaying information to former Unification Church official Yoon Young-ho in October 2022. The information suggested that police were looking into Han's alleged overseas gambling and that a search and seizure might occur.

Jung Won-ju is currently on trial. He faces charges of conspiring with Han and others to offer 100 million won to Kwon in 2022, seeking favorable treatment for the Unification Church from the Yoon Suk-yeol administration. He is also accused of using 144 million won of church funds for illegal, fragmented political donations to lawmakers.