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Jeon Seong-bae enters the office of the special counsel team in Jongno, Seoul, on August 18. / Source: Yonhap News

Jeon Seong-bae, widely known as “Geonjin Bupsa” and a key figure in the Unification Church lobbying scandal, has given up his chance to contest an arrest warrant before the court.

On August 20, Jeon informed the special counsel team led by Min Joong-gi, through his lawyer, that he would forgo the pretrial detention hearing. As a result, the session scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on August 21 at the Seoul Central District Court will proceed only with the prosecution present, arguing the necessity of his detention based on investigative records and evidence.

The court is expected to decide on Jeon’s arrest as early as late Thursday night. In most cases, when a suspect does not appear, the court issues a warrant. Jeon is expected to remain at the special counsel’s office in Jongno until the decision is announced, though the location of his eventual detention has not yet been determined.

Prosecutors allege that between April and August 2022, Jeon received gifts—including a Graff necklace and a Chanel bag—from former Unification Church global director Yoon Young-ho, and then delivered them to First Lady Kim Keon-hee.

The probe also covers suspicions that Jeon and Yoon helped recruit Unification Church members into the ruling People Power Party to support Rep. Kweon Seong-dong’s bid for party leadership.