Leaders “We will not take responsibility” — Pastor Han’s call (2026-09-01)

[최종근]

Family Federation: “We will not take responsibility” — Pastor Han In-soo calls for the entire leadership to resign (2026-09-01)

On August 31, 2026, President Han Hak-ja was sentenced to two years in prison at her first-instance trial. In addition, the Joint Investigation Headquarters (JIH), which is investigating allegations of collusion between politics and religion, announced the reasons for indicting President Han on charges of embezzling 10.5 billion won.

◆ Court hands down two-year prison sentence; Joint Investigation Headquarters indicts her on charges of embezzling 10.5 billion won

1. Despite President Han’s two-year prison sentence, Unification Church leadership refuses to take responsibility—“We will remain in our positions until the end”

The Family Federation released a “Statement of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification regarding the first-instance verdict on President Han Hak-ja” via the “Announcements from the Family Federation” section of its official website.

▶ Family Federation official website (2026-08-31)

https://ffwp.org/list/blank_view.php?menuKey=107&numberKey=28129

The Family Federation clarified its position, stating, “Taking this situation as an opportunity, we will further strengthen our emergency reform measures across all aspects of the church’s operations and comprehensively overhaul our decision-making structure, financial execution processes, internal checks and balances and oversight systems, as well as our review of legal compliance regarding external activities, and our record-keeping systems.”

This effectively means that the leadership will not take responsibility for their own future.

Furthermore, the Federation stated, “We will make every effort to ensure that the substantive truth is revealed in the higher courts,” indicating its intention to remain in office until the very end. (*higher courts = appellate and supreme courts)

▶ JTBC (2026-08-31)

https://news.jtbc.co.kr/article/NB12315944?influxDiv=NAVER

재판부 "한학자, 조직적 범행의 정점"…꼬리 자르기 안 통했다

2. Family Federation rebuts Joint Investigation Headquarters’ announcement— “Funds in the private room are voluntary donations”

The Family Federation issued the following statement: “funds in the private room’ are religious offerings voluntarily contributed to President Han Hak-ja by believers and various organizations within the church as an expression‎ of their faith and religious devotion. President Han Hak-ja did not misappropriate these funds for personal use; rather, in accordance with the intentions of those who contributed them, they were used for public purposes such as missionary activities.”

The Federation also clarified its position, stating, “We trust in the independence of the judiciary and fair judgment, and while we will fully exercise President Han Hak-ja’s right to defense through her legal team, we will respond in good faith in accordance with the procedures established by law.”

▶ Family Federation official website (2026-08-31)

https://ffwp.org/list/blank_view.php?menuKey=107&numberKey=28128

This explanation from the Unification Church is biased toward a religious perspective and, from a practical and legal standpoint, lacks persuasiveness as a defense argument.

▶ JTBC (2026-08-31)

https://news.jtbc.co.kr/article/NB12315971?influxDiv=NAVER

한학자 ‘침실 금고’ 무려 260억 압수…1심 징역 2년

◆ Pastor Han In-soo demands “unlimited liability” from current leadership and immediate resignation

On September 1, 2026, members of the Nonsan Church announced that, in light of President Han’s sentencing to two years in prison, they were forced to cancel the rally scheduled for that day in order to hold responsible discussions regarding their future course of action.

▶ Related video (2026-08-31)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xf0S0TmfSic

Pastor Han In-soo of Nonsan Church issued a statement directed at the current leadership, which has repeatedly expressed remorse only in words, declaring, “The current leadership of the Family Federation must bear unlimited responsibility and resign en masse immediately.”

 [The Unification Church Anti-Corruption Monitoring Committee] has absolutely no connection to Nonsan Church. However, Pastor Han In-soo and the members of Nonsan Church are actively raising concerns and protesting against the Unification Church leadership’s mismanagement and refusal to take responsibility.

We are reporting on this situation in the hope that members around the world will become aware of these developments, and we ask that there be no misunderstanding.

The full text of the statement issued by Pastor Han In-soo is included at the end of this post; please take the time to read it.

2026-09-01

Choi Jong-keun

[Unification Church Anti-Corruption Monitoring Committee

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

【Reference posts】

■ Pastor Han In-soo announces his position on the “Statement of Apology” — Unification Church leadership completely disgraced (2026-08-20)

https://cafe.daum.net/antiuccorruption/ZXsd/1593?svc=cafeapi

■ Despite Pastor Han’s apology, believers held protest as scheduled (2026-08-18)

https://cafe.daum.net/antiuccorruption/cRwZ/62

■ “6-month suspension” on Pastor Han and protest rally on 18th (2026-08-15)

https://cafe.daum.net/antiuccorruption/cRwZ/61

■ Nonsan Church members to hold a large-scale protest on August 18 (2026-08-13)

https://cafe.daum.net/antiuccorruption/ZXsd/1587?svc=cafeapi

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The current leadership of the Family Federation must bear unlimited responsibility and resign en masse immediately

In the first-instance trial of President Han Hak-ja, she was found guilty of violating the Political Funds Act, the Act on the Prohibition of Solicitation of Favor, and embezzlement in the course of business, and was sentenced to two years in prison.

Faced with this devastating outcome today, we cannot help but feel deep sorrow and anger. This situation is not merely a matter of one individual’s suffering. It is a grave historical crisis that fundamentally shakes the reputation of the Family Federation, the trust of its members, and the foundation built through the blood and sweat of countless missionaries and Blessed Families.

Nevertheless, the current leadership continues to merely repeat phrases such as “we deeply feel our responsibility,” “we will reflect thoroughly,” and “we will not evade responsibility, including regarding our positions.” Now, the members are asking:

Just how long do they intend to offer nothing but empty words of reflection!

Who failed to prevent this grave situation?

Who should have managed the organization and overseen the reporting system?

Who should have corrected the erroneous decision-making and protected True Mother?

Who should have safeguarded the members’ donations and trust with transparency and accountability?

That responsibility lies with the current leadership, which has enjoyed authority and position.

Excuses such as “I was not directly involved at the time” or “I was not informed” are not the words of responsible leaders. If they did not know, it is incompetence; if they knew but failed to prevent it, it is dereliction of duty. And if they remain in their positions even after causing such a situation, they cannot escape criticism for evading responsibility.

The responsibility for failing to adequately assist and protect True Mother; the responsibility for failing to correct the organization’s flawed practices and decision-making structures; the responsibility for tarnishing the Family Federation’s reputation and inflicting indelible wounds on the members—who, exactly, should bear this responsibility?

It is by no means an expression‎ of “filial love (hyojeong)” for leaders to remain in their positions while shifting all the suffering and responsibility onto True Mother alone. We cannot tolerate any action taken to protect one’s own position while invoking True Mother’s name.

If you truly feel a deep sense of responsibility, prove it through actions, not words.

The apology statement released by the current leadership clearly states, “We will never evade responsibility, including the question of our resignation.” If that is the case, what are they waiting for? They must not postpone taking responsibility while waiting for someone else to make a decision.

Making a decision on their own is the final act of conscience as leaders and the absolute minimum first step toward regaining the trust that has been lost.

Therefore, we strongly demand the following:

1. The current leadership of the Family Federation must assume unlimited responsibility for this situation and resign en masse immediately!

All core leaders involved in this situation—including the World Mission Headquarters, the Central Administration Office, the Divine Korea Association, the Maintenance Foundation, Cheon Shim Won, and HJ Cheonju Cheonbo Training Center—must relinquish their positions and vested interests and demonstrate a willingness to take responsibility.

2. Fully disclose to the members the circumstances that led to the failure to adequately assist True Mother, as well as the organization’s responsibility!

Who received what reports, when, and what judgments or instructions were issued? Furthermore, why were these issues not prevented or corrected in advance? All of this must be clarified through an independent investigation. A “self-investigation” in which those responsible serve as the investigating body is unacceptable.

3. Transparently disclose the details of how donations and public assets are managed, and immediately conduct an independent external audit!

The donations and assets built through the tears and sincere devotion of the members are not private property that can be managed opaquely based on the judgment of a few leaders. To dispel all suspicions, the accounting and decision-making processes must be transparently disclosed.

4. Establish an independent emergency reform body that excludes those in charge!

Those who caused or allowed the current crisis to persist cannot be the driving force behind reform. Establish an independent body comprising believers both domestically and internationally, frontline pastors, women and the younger generation, as well as legal and accounting experts, and fundamentally reform the organization and its systems.

5. Halt disciplinary actions and punitive measures against critical members and pastors, and open the path to dialogue and restoration!

An organization that rejects sound advice and silences criticism through discipline has no future. Members and pastors must not be silenced simply for pointing out the leadership’s mistakes. Conduct a comprehensive review to determine whether there have been any instances of unfair personnel decisions or disciplinary actions.

Dear believers of the Family Federation!

What we are seeking is not division, but true renewal. It is not destruction, but responsible decisions to set the Family Federation back on the right path.

Unconditional silence and blind obedience are not “unity.” Clarifying mistakes, removing those responsible, and establishing proper order—this is the true love that sustains our community.

What the leadership must protect now is not their own positions, but the future of the Family Federation. What they must let go of is not the concerns raised by the members, but their own authority and vested interests.

We must not betray any further the tears and dedication that countless members have devoted their entire lives to. We must not use True Mother’s suffering as a shield to evade responsibility. We must not leave a history of shame for future generations.

Put the official promise to “not evade responsibility” into action immediately.

The current leadership must not delay any longer—everyone must resign!

Conduct an independent fact-finding investigation and an external audit immediately!

Establish a new leadership structure that the members can trust!

This is the path to fulfilling the minimum responsibility owed to True Mother and the members, and it is a new beginning to rebuild the Family Federation, which has fallen into disarray.

We hereby solemnly declare that if our demands are ignored, the current leadership—which refused to relinquish its positions until the very end—must bear all the resulting chaos and historical responsibility.

August 31, 2026

Han In-soo