0
Rep. Kwon Seong-dong of the People Power Party arrives at the special counsel’s office in the KT Gwanghwamun Building, Seoul, on August 27, to face questioning over allegations of receiving illegal political funds from the Unification Church. / Source: Park Seong-il

Rep. Kwon Seong-dong of the People Power Party was questioned for more than 13 hours by the special counsel investigating First Lady Kim Keon-hee, over allegations that he received illicit political funds from the Unification Church.

According to the team led by Special Counsel Min Jung-ki, Kwon appeared at the office in the KT Gwanghwamun Building in central Seoul at 9:47 a.m. on August 27 and was interrogated until after 9 p.m. He reviewed the written record and was released at 11:24 p.m.

Asked by reporters what he had explained during questioning, Kwon replied only, “I underwent the investigation faithfully.” He denied accusations that he had sought support from the church during the ruling party’s leadership race or that he had coordinated testimony with Yoon Young-ho, the former head of the church’s world headquarters, saying, “That is not true.”

The special counsel’s team had prepared more than 50 pages of questions, and the session was videotaped at Kwon’s request. Investigators said he did not invoke his right to remain silent and instead gave detailed explanations.

Prosecutors suspect that between 2021 and 2024, Kwon accepted illicit political funds while being asked by Yoon to provide backing for Unification Church events. They are also investigating claims that in early 2022, he received a shopping bag of cash from Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja.

The probe further covers allegations that Yoon and shaman Jeon Seong-bae, widely known as “Geonjin Beopsa,” mobilized large numbers of church members to join the People Power Party in order to boost Kwon’s chances in the March 2023 leadership election.

The special counsel’s office said it will review the results of Wednesday’s marathon session before deciding whether to summon Kwon again.