'Emergency inspection of detention facilities to begin; truth will be uncovered'

Lee Man-hee, chairman of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, arrives at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on June 24 for a warrant review hearing on charges of violating the Political Parties Act. [Yonhap]
Lee Man-hee, chairman of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, arrives at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on June 24 for a warrant review hearing on charges of violating the Political Parties Act. [Yonhap]

By Yang Geun-hyuk, The Herald Business

Justice Minister Jeong Seong-ho said he would hold those responsible after allegations emerged that a prison guard who was a Shincheonji church member staged a fake fall in 2020 to help secure the release of Shincheonji Chairman Lee Man-hee on bail.

Jeong said in a Facebook post Thursday that reports had surfaced alleging a church-member prison guard leaked internal correctional facility documents and attempted to stage a "fall accident" to help secure Lee's release on bail during his 2020 detention.

"If true, the guard chose to act not as a public servant faithfully carrying out the law, but as a personal aide to the leader of a specific religion — using a state correctional system funded by taxpayers as a tool for that religion's private interests," Jeong said. He added that the matter could not be taken lightly given that Lee is currently in detention again, this time on charges of forcing church members to join a political party en masse.

Jeong said the ministry would "swiftly launch a thorough inspection and an emergency review of detention facilities to uncover the truth, and hold those found to have acted unlawfully to appropriate legal and administrative account."

The minister also said the ministry would develop systemic measures to prevent inmates with significant social influence from exerting undue influence inside correctional facilities or colluding with outside parties. "Public officials in a democratic state must work solely for the people — not for religious beliefs or private interests. That is a basic principle we will uphold," he said.

Earlier, the joint investigation unit on corruption involving ties between politics and religion indicted Lee on June 29 on charges including violations of the Political Parties Act. Lee is accused of forcing at least 56,472 church members to join the People Power Party between 2021 and 2024 with the intent of influencing its presidential and general election primaries.

This marks Lee's second detention. During his first, in 2020, he was held on charges including violations of the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act in connection with a COVID-19 outbreak — the period when the alleged staged fall is said to have occurred.


yg@heraldcorp.com