Is the Unification Church Controlling Politics? Shocking Revelations from MBC’s ‘PD수첩’

The CEN News (Reporter Kwon Jin-ah) – ‘PD Notebook’ takes aim at the Unification Church and its collaborators, who have systematically undermined the constitutional principle of separation of church and state, leveraging vast financial resources and organizational prowess to infiltrate the corridors of power.

The upcoming episode of MBC’s ‘PD Notebook,’ airing on the 10th, will delve into the church’s comprehensive management of politicians across party lines and alleged preferential treatment in Gapyeong County. The investigation is based on over 3,200 pages of internal Unification Church documents known as the ‘TM (True Mother) Special Report.’

This exposé comes at a critical juncture, coinciding with the National Investigation Headquarters’ decision to name former ministers and lawmakers as suspects. The program promises to unravel the intricate web of the ‘Unification Church Gate,’ tracing the flow of religious funds into political coffers.

The production team’s acquired ‘TM Special Report’ spans approximately six years from 2017 to 2023. It meticulously documents politicians’ names, event attendance records, and management details with an almost confessional level of precision. Notably, the names of former Minister Jeon Jae-soo, former lawmaker Lim Jong-seong, and former lawmaker Kim Gyu-hwan feature prominently throughout the documents.

Kim Gyu-hwan’s name appears 29 times in the report, including instances where he lauded the church’s leader, Han Hak-ja, as the ‘Mother of World Peace’ at public events, indicating his close ties with the organization. Even more shocking are the records detailing Lim Jong-seong’s assistance in altering the corporate name of a Unification Church-affiliated foundation and his involvement in resolving various church-related issues.

‘PD Notebook’ will broadcast candid interviews with individuals implicated in the bribery allegations, directly confronting them about the alleged collusion between church and state.

The program will also investigate how the Gapyeong area, particularly Seorak-myeon, has essentially become a ‘fiefdom’ of the Unification Church. The construction of massive facilities like ‘Cheonwon Palace’ and ‘Cheonjeong Palace,’ covering an area equivalent to seven soccer fields, has raised suspicions of irregular land use changes. Moreover, attempts to secure a 80 billion KRW (60 million USD) refund in acquisition taxes have fueled allegations of administrative favoritism.

The Unification Church’s influence extends to local elections as well. Prior to the 2022 local elections, a candidate meeting organized by a church-affiliated group essentially functioned as a ‘Unification Church screening process.’ During this event, mayoral candidate Seo Tae-won repeatedly praised the church’s leader. Following his election, he aggressively pursued the church’s long-desired ‘North Han River Millennium Boat Route’ project.

The program will also scrutinize the controversial ‘North Han River Millennium Boat Route’ project, which has drawn criticism for its alleged use as a pilgrimage route for the church despite 150 billion KRW (112.5 million USD) in public funding. The extent of church-state entanglement is so pervasive that Gapyeong residents openly acknowledge, “Falling out of favor with the Unification Church means the end of one’s political career.”

‘PD Notebook’ is scheduled to air on the 10th at 10:20 PM.

Photo=MBC ‘PD Notebook’

(The CEN News / Reporter Kwon Jin-ah press@mhns.co.kr