A former Unification Church official involved in a corruption case from former President Yoon Suk Yeol's administration is expected to name Democratic Party (DP) lawmakers during his final trial on Wednesday. Yun Young-ho faces charges for providing luxury gifts to Yoon's wife, Kim Keon Hee, in 2022, and claims church ties to the DP during Moon Jae-in's presidency. The disclosure could severely impact the DP and President Lee Jae Myung's administration.
The embezzlement trial of Yun Young-ho, former head of the Unification Church's global headquarters, is scheduled for 4 p.m. on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, at the Seoul Central District Court. Yun faces charges of providing luxury gifts to former First Lady Kim Keon Hee, wife of ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol, in exchange for business favors in 2022. During closing arguments, he is expected to name Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) lawmakers and officials allegedly approached by the church during Moon Jae-in's administration from 2017 to 2021.
Yun first raised these claims last Friday, accusing special counsel Min Joong-ki's team of bias by focusing solely on the church's ties to the People Power Party (PPP), affiliated with Yoon. He testified that the church was closer to the DPK than the PPP during Moon's term and approached four current ministerial figures, two of whom visited church leader Han Hak-ja. In August questioning, Yun reportedly stated the church gave tens of millions of won each to two DPK lawmakers between 2018 and 2020.
The special counsel admitted receiving this testimony this week but rejected bias allegations, stating it fell outside their mandate. On Tuesday, they transferred the case to police. This potential disclosure could deliver a severe blow to the DPK and President Lee Jae Myung's administration, which has portrayed investigations into Yun and Han as evidence of corrupt religious-political ties under Yoon.
In response, President Lee on Wednesday ordered a thorough probe into illegal ties between religious groups and politicians, regardless of party affiliation or position, his office announced. The directive came a day after the special counsel's referral, emphasizing impartiality amid the controversy.
