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- Unification Church leader denies directing political bribery in South Korea</p>
<p>August 31, 2025 at 10:22 PM</p>
<p>SEOUL (Reuters) -The head of South Korea's Unification Church has denied that she directed the group to bribe a former First Lady and a politician close to ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol, as the church comes under the spotlight in a criminal probe into Yoon and his wife.</p>
<p>Special prosecutors indicted former First Lady Kim Keon Hee for bribery and other charges on Friday, amid a widening probe into the country's martial law crisis and scandals involving the once powerful couple.</p>
<p>Kim is also accused of receiving bribes worth 80 million won($57,631) that include two Chanel bags and a diamond necklace from an official at the Unification Church in return for using her influence to help its business interests.</p>
<p>Kweon Seong-dong, a veteran politician close to former President Yoon, has been investigated over allegations that he received illicit political funds from the church official. Kweon has denied the allegations.</p>
<p>"False information is being spread that our church provided illegal political funds under my directive," Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja said in a statement on Sunday read by an announcer next to her.</p>
<p>"I take this opportunity to state this clearly: I have never directed any illegal political favours or financial transactions," she said in her first direct address related to the investigation.</p>
<p>Kim's lawyers have also denied the allegations against her, including over her receiving gifts.</p>
<p>The official from the church that prosecutors say was behind the bribery has been arrested and indicted on charges including violating anti-graft laws.</p>
<p>The Unification Church, formally called the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, said previously it was "deeply regrettable" that the church failed to prevent the misconduct of a former senior official, but denied any involvement in the case.</p>
<p>($1 = 1,388.1500 won)</p>
<p>(Reporting by Ju-min Park; Editing by Ed Davies and Lincoln Feast.)</p>
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