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People Power Party lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong arrives at the Seoul Central District Court on Sept. 16 for a pre-trial detention hearing on charges of receiving illicit political funds from the Unification Church. / Source: Yonhap News

People Power Party (PPP) lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong was arrested on Tuesday on charges of receiving illicit political funds from the Unification Church, marking the first detention of a sitting legislator under the three special counsels. The move is expected to accelerate investigations into allegations of collusion between the church and conservative political circles, as well as the role of Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja.

The Seoul Central District Court issued a warrant after a pre-trial detention hearing, citing concerns that Kweon might destroy evidence. Prosecutors presented a 160-page opinion and a 130-page presentation to argue for detention.

Kweon is accused of taking 100 million won in illegal funds in January 2022 from former Unification Church world headquarters chief Yoon Young-ho, in return for support of church events. He is also alleged to have received cash-filled shopping bags from Han in early 2022, while tipping her off about an overseas gambling investigation to help her prepare.

The lawmaker has consistently denied the charges. “This is an overreaching investigation based on a flimsy warrant, driven by political interests,” he told reporters before entering court on Tuesday. “Just as the Moon Jae-in administration’s probe was false, so is Lee Jae-myung’s special counsel investigation. I was innocent then and I am innocent now.”

Kweon was summoned by the Kim Keon-hee special counsel team on Aug. 27 and a detention request was filed the next day. The National Assembly approved the arrest motion on Sept. 11.

With his detention, the probe is expected to move closer to Han herself. She is scheduled to appear before prosecutors on Wednesday morning. Investigators suspect she approved both the requests for favors and the delivery of funds, and have stated in indictments that Han sought to realize her goal of “church-state unity” by approaching former President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife Kim Keon-hee.