SPOTLIGHT 26/06/25 S. Korea arrests Christian sect leader over alleged political recr

[성기화 요셉]

Lee Man-hee is accused of coercing more than 50,000 followers to join the conservative People Power Party 

Lee Man-hee, leader of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, arrives to attend a hearing to review his arrest warrant at the Seoul Central District Court in Seoul on June 24. (Photo: AFP)

By AFP, Seoul

Published: June 25, 2026 07:42 AM GMT

Updated: June 25, 2026 07:46 AM GMT

A Seoul court has ordered the arrest of the leader of a secretive South Korean religious group for allegedly coercing thousands of followers to join a political party, according to a court statement seen by AFP on June 25.

Lee Man-hee, the 94-year-old head of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, is accused of coercing 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 offences occurred while the PPP was the ruling party under disgraced former president Yoon Suk Yeol.

Yoon was ousted from office last year and convicted of insurrection over his brief imposition of martial law in December 2024. He remains in detention while appealing a life sentence.

The arrest warrant for Lee was granted "due to the risk of destruction of evidence", the Seoul Central District Court said in a brief statement provided to AFP.

The warrant was issued late on June 24, after which Lee was taken into custody.

Shincheonji expressed "deep regret" over Lee's arrest.

"Given that the relevant evidence has already been secured through repeated search and seizure operations, there is no risk of evidence being destroyed," the church said in a statement provided to AFP.

Given Lee's age, "there is effectively no risk of flight", it added.

"We will devote all available legal resources to establishing the facts transparently and uncovering the substantive truth through the trial," it said.

Large following

Lee's arrest came months after prosecutors indicted Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja on allegations she directed church officials to bribe Yoon's wife to secure business favours.

In April, an appeals court sentenced Yoon's wife, Kim Keon Hee, to four years in prison after convicting her of charges including accepting luxury gifts from a Unification Church official.

Lee's arrest also came after prosecutors and police launched a joint investigation in January into suspected collusion between religious groups and politicians.

Founded in 1984 by Lee, Shincheonji is known for its distinctive interpretations of the Bible, particularly the Book of Revelation, and has attracted both a large following and significant controversy.

Researchers say the sect proclaims Lee has donned the mantle of Jesus Christ and will take 144,000 people with him to heaven on the Day of Judgement.

Critics have long accused the church of using deceptive recruitment tactics.

It became a focal point of controversy in the early months of the Covid-19 outbreak, as its members accounted for more than half of South Korea's coronavirus cases at one point.