Shincheonji Church Leader Lee Man-hee Arrested for Allegedly Forcing Followers to Join Political Party

(Seoul, June 25, Yonhap News Agency) A Seoul court has ordered the arrest of Lee Man-hee, the leader of the secretive South Korean religious group Shincheonji Church of Jesus, on suspicion of forcing tens of thousands of followers to join a political party, according to a court statement seen by Agence France-Presse today.

Lee Man-hee, 94, the leader of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, is accused of forcing more than 50,000 followers to join the conservative People Power Party between 2021 and 2024, in violation of the Political Parties Act.

The alleged illegal act occurred during the administration of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who has since been removed from office.

Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached and convicted last year on charges of sedition for briefly imposing martial law in December 2024. He remains in detention and is appealing his life sentence.

The Seoul Central District Court stated in a brief statement provided to Agence France-Presse that the arrest warrant for Lee Man-hee was approved "due to the risk of evidence tampering."

The arrest warrant was issued yesterday evening, and Lee Man-hee was subsequently detained.

The Shincheonji Church of Jesus expressed "deep regret" over Lee Man-hee's arrest.

The church stated in a statement to Agence France-Presse: "Given that the relevant evidence has been secured through multiple search and seizure operations, there is no risk of evidence tampering."

The church added that considering Lee Man-hee's age, "there is practically no risk of flight."

Months before Lee Man-hee's arrest, prosecutors had also indicted Han Hak-ja, the leader of the Unification Church, accusing her of instructing church officials to bribe Yoon Suk Yeol's wife in exchange for business benefits.

The Shincheonji Church of Jesus was founded by Lee Man-hee in 1984 and is known for his unique interpretation of the Bible, particularly the Book of Revelation, attracting a large number of followers but also causing significant controversy. (Compiled by Lee Pei-shan) 062506