Overview
- Prosecutors asked the court to impose a four-year sentence and to forfeit 100 million won they say Kweon received from a Unification Church official in 2022.
- They allege the money was tied to support for church-favored initiatives, including an undersea tunnel to Japan, expanded overseas aid, a DMZ peace park, and exporting the Saemaeul movement to Africa.
- The special counsel argued Kweon betrayed public trust, enabled church influence over politics, showed no remorse, and attempted to destroy evidence.
- Kweon’s defense denied the charges, disputed any trusting relationship with alleged donor Yoon Young-ho, and said prosecutors are relying on testimony that could be false.
- The case unfolds within a broader probe into the church’s political donations and bribery allegations, with church leader Han Hak-ja already on trial.