SEOUL – People Power Party lawmaker Kwon Seong-dong is scheduled to appear before the Seoul Central District Court on September 16 for a pre-arrest warrant hearing. The hearing, presided over by Judge Nam Se-jin, comes after the special prosecutor's office requested an arrest warrant on charges of receiving illegal political funds from the Unification Church.
The case marks a historic first, as it is the first time a special prosecutor's team has sought an arrest warrant for a sitting member of the National Assembly who holds immunity from arrest. The special prosecutor's team, led by Min Joong-ki, which is investigating allegations related to former First Lady Kim Keon-hee, summoned Kwon for an extensive 13-hour interrogation on August 27. The warrant was requested the following day.
Kwon is accused of receiving 100 million won (approximately $75,000) in illegal political funds from a former worldwide headquarters director of the Unification Church, identified as Mr. Yoon, in January 2022. The funds were allegedly provided in exchange for a pledge to promote Unification Church affairs as state policy after then-presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol was elected.
The investigation has also uncovered additional suspicions. The special prosecutor's team is looking into allegations that Kwon received a shopping bag full of cash from Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja in early 2022 and that he leaked information about a police investigation into Han’s alleged overseas gambling to the church, allowing them to prepare for the probe. Furthermore, the special prosecutor's team is examining claims that Mr. Yoon and a shaman, Jeon Seong-bae, mobilized a large number of Unification Church members to join the People Power Party to support Kwon in the party's leadership election in March 2023.
The arrest motion for Kwon was passed by the National Assembly on September 11. The motion was approved with an overwhelming majority, receiving 173 votes in favor out of 177 members present. Although the People Power Party did not participate in the vote, Kwon himself attended and cast a "yes" vote. The passage of the motion was required for the court to proceed with the arrest warrant hearing, as members of the National Assembly have immunity from arrest during legislative sessions.
In a speech to the National Assembly before the vote, Kwon denied all charges, asserting that the special prosecutor's claims were "all lies" and that the special prosecutor's team was engaged in a "people's trial" based on "false testimony" from the accuser. He had previously stated his intention to waive his immunity from arrest after the warrant request was filed.
The presiding judge for the hearing, Nam Se-jin, is no stranger to high-profile political cases. In July, Judge Nam issued an arrest warrant for former President Yoon Suk-yeol on charges of obstruction of justice. The same judge also approved the arrest warrants for Jeon Seong-bae, the shaman linked to the case, and Lee Jong-ho, a former CEO and a close associate of the former First Lady, both of whom are also being investigated by the special prosecutor's team.
If the court issues the arrest warrant on September 16, Kwon Seong-dong will be taken into custody. The outcome of the hearing will be a critical step in a case that has captured national attention, given the high-profile nature of the suspect and the unprecedented legal action by the special prosecutor's office.
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