Pres. Han’s 30th trial① — Fierce battle: Pres. Han vs Yoon (2026-06-21)

[최종근]

President Han’s 30th trial① — “I didn’t receive reports” vs. “I reported daily”… A fierce courtroom battle between President Han and Yoon Young-ho (2026-06-21)

At the 30th trial for President Han Hak-ja, held on June 19, 2026, a fierce courtroom battle unfolded between President Han and Yoon Young-ho.

▶ Newsis article

https://www.newsis.com/view/NISX20260619_0003676349

'통일교 불법 청탁' 한학자 1심, 내달 10일 마무리…특검 구형

◆ Key arguments presented by President Han Hak-ja’s defense team

The core issues of the trial on this day were “complete shifting of responsibility” and “selective refusal to testify.”

President Han’s defense team characterized all political and financial matters other than the construction of Cheon Won Gung as Yoon Young-ho’s “arbitrary misconduct and private lobbying activities,” expressing strong feelings of betrayal toward Yoon Young-ho.

Meanwhile, in response to cross-examination by the Special Prosecutor (hereinafter “SP”), President Han avoided answering by citing health reasons (such as deteriorating eyesight) or claiming she “had no recollection.” Furthermore, she exercised her right to remain silent in full regarding core questions directly related to the charges.

President Han’s defense team refuted the claims made by the SP and Yoon Young-ho’s side as follows:

1. Solicitation to Ms. Kim Keon-hee

Regarding the allegation that she engaged in lobbying by having luxury brand items (a necklace and a bag) delivered through Jeon Seong-bae, President Han’s defense team countered, “She has received no such report whatsoever, and there is no reason for her to have specifically instructed that gifts be given.”

2. Provision of 100 million won to Representative Kwon Seong-dong

Regarding the allegation that 100 million won in cash was handed over from President Han’s private funds during a visit to Cheon Jeong Gung in 2022, they denied the claim, stating, “(Kwon Seong-dong) is a person she does not know, and there is no reason to give such a significant donation (to someone she doesn’t know).”

3. Private meeting with President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol

In response to Director Yoon Young-ho’s claim that “President Han was aware in advance of the private meeting with President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol and had given instructions,” they countered, “She had no prior knowledge, but was only informed afterward.”

4. Overseas election fund support

Regarding election fund support (ranging from $100,000 to $500,000) provided to countries such as Senegal and Nepal, they asserted, “She merely provided humanitarian aid, such as hospital ships; there is no fact that she provided political funds.”

5. Incitement to destroy evidence

Regarding the instructions to destroy accounting records and conceal evidence related to casino gambling, they countered, “She has never engaged in gambling other than slot machines, and she merely conducted an accounting cleanup in conjunction with the organizational integration (of the World Headquarters).”

6. Evidence examination by the SP and release of recordings

In addition to Yoon Young-ho’s diary, accounting vouchers, and the TM Special Report, the SP played a roughly 7-minute audio recording in court.

The recording included: (1) remarks indicating her awareness that “providing financial support for presidential elections in Zimbabwe and Senegal is illegal”; (2) confirm‎ing the statute of limitations regarding the Cambodia case; (3) the content of a phone call with Ms. Kim Keon-hee; and (4) a concept for a national-scale project to be proposed to President Yoon Suk-yeol’s camp.

In response, President Han’s side countered, “This recording was made deliberately by Yoon Young-ho after the investigation began with the intent to shift blame, and it is therefore inappropriate as evidence to prove a conspiracy with President Han.”

Furthermore, regarding most of the core questions—such as the political significance of “national restoration,” the specific content of conversations during Representative Kwon Seong-dong’s visit, and the method of managing funds for President Han’s private office at Cheon Jeong Gung—President Han consistently repeated the response, “I refuse to testify.”

◆ Main statements from Yoon Young-ho’s side

Yoon Young-ho strongly asserted that the series of acts involving the collusion of politics and religion were not acts of personal desire or misconduct, but rather organized activities at the church level aimed at realizing “National Restoration,” which is a central doctrine of the church.

He also provided specific details about how, after the investigation began, the church leadership attempted to make him a scapegoat through a “tail-cutting” strategy and sought to influence him through various forms of persuasion and inducement.

▶ Reference post: Jeong Won-ju turned President Han Hak-ja into a “puppet” (2026-06-19)

https://cafe.daum.net/antiuccorruption/cRwZ/33

Jeong Won-ju turned President Han Hak-ja into a “puppet” (2026-06-19)

1. Reporting structure

President Han’s side claimed, “We had delegated full authority to Yoon Young-ho regarding matters other than the construction of Cheon Won Gung and had not received any reports.”

In response, Yoon Young-ho countered, “It was impossible to make decisions on my own. Every day from around 2:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m., I reported to President Han in writing and via KakaoTalk. President Han Hak-ja was the ultimate decision-maker on all financial and personnel matters.”

2. The role of Chief of Staff Jeong Won-ju

He revealed that President Han’s “right-hand and left-hand men” were Chairman Kim Seok-byeong and Jeong Won-ju, and that Chairman Kim Seok-byeong in his farewell speech on August 1, 2024, had likened Jeong Won-ju to the “Ten Eunuchs” (*a group of eunuchs from the late Eastern Han Dynasty in China).

Furthermore, he asserted, “Jeong Won-ju is a powerful figure who blocks President Han’s eyes and ears; she wields power on par with the Presidential Secretariat and controlled all communication channels within the church.”

3. Expensive gifts to politicians

In response to President Han’s statement that she “had never seen such gifts nor given any instructions regarding them,” Yoon Young-ho testified, “As a long-standing practice to prevent the church from being viewed as a third-rate organization, President Han herself would prepare and instruct others to present men’s watches, women’s handbags, scarves, and other items.”

4. Presidential election and political lobbying

In response to President Han’s side claiming that these were “arbitrary acts aimed at Yoon Young-ho’s personal gain,” Yoon Young-ho stated, “These were organized activities aimed at realizing the vision of national restoration, such as the ‘occupation of the Blue House,’ and all contacts with politicians, including Representative Kwon Seong-dong, had been reported.”

As expected, the 30th trial for President Han unfolded with President Han Hak-ja and Yoon Young-ho shifting blame onto one another in court.

It was also newly revealed that Yoon Jeong-ro, an insider of the church, had strongly demanded expenditures in the range of 3 to 5 billion won for the presidential election campaign. Further details on this matter are scheduled to be disclosed in the future.

2026-06-21

Choi Jong-keun

[Unification Church Anti-Corruption Monitoring Committee]

*As this document was generated by AI, it may contain typos or mistranslations.

■ Pres. Han’s 29th Trial② — UC’s View and Another View (2026-06-14)

https://cafe.daum.net/antiuccorruption/cRwZ/30

■ Pres. Han’s 29th Trial—Key Points and Her Opening Statement (2026-06-13)

https://cafe.daum.net/antiuccorruption/cRwZ/29

■ Pres. Han 24th Trial ②—SP and Yoon Cross-Exam Cho Seong-il ( 26-05-10)

https://cafe.daum.net/antiuccorruption/cRwZ/17