South Korea has arrested the leader of the controversial Unification Church over allegations the organisation bribed South Korea's former first lady in exchange for business and political favours.
Han Hak-ja's church is accused of giving Kim Keon Hee, the wife of ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol, two Chanel bags and a diamond necklace, together worth 80 million won ($57,900; £42,500).
Han, the 82-year-old widow of the church's founder Sun Myung Moon, has repeatedly denied the allegations, calling them false.
The church has stated it would faithfully engage with authorities and aims to restore trust in the organisation. They also issued an apology for causing concern to the people.
Prosecutors sought an arrest warrant for Han based on four charges, including improper solicitation and graft.
In court on Monday, Han denied the charges, asserting she has no interest or knowledge of politics. Her legal team argued against her arrest due to her age and declining health.
Han is also accused of collusion with a former church official, surnamed Yun, to offer 100 million won in bribes to conservative lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong, linked to favours for the church after Yoon's presidential victory in 2022.
Kweon, previously considered a close ally to Yoon, faces charges of accepting bribes.
The Unification Church has attributed the allegations against both Kim and Kweon to the former church official's independent actions, who has since been arrested.
Kim, the former first lady, was indicted last month on charges, including bribery and stock manipulation, which she denies. Her trial commenced this week, marking a historic moment as both a former president and first lady have been jailed in South Korea.
Yoon was detained in January and is under trial for a previous political issue that resulted in his impeachment.
The Unification Church, formally known as The Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, was established in South Korea in the 1950s by Sun Myung Moon, who declared himself the messiah. The church is notorious for mass weddings and has been labeled as cult-like due to accusations of financial coercion against its followers. It has faced scrutiny in Japan following a high-profile assassination incident linked to grievances against the church.
