South Korea’s Minister of Justice statement after arrest of MHL
TRANSLATED STATEMENT:
Today, Shincheonji Chairman Lee Man-hee was arrested and indicted on charges of forcibly enrolling more than 50,000 believers into a specific political party.
The charges involve distorting the political will of the party and the people through mass party membership during major political phases, such as presidential primary, local elections, and party leader elections, and undermining the constitutional principle of separation of church and state.
Religious organizations are faith communities for inner peace and rest, not political groups aiming to acquire power.
The reason our Constitution declared the 'principle of separation of church and state' is to prevent collusion between political power and religion, and because the Republic of Korea is a democratic republic operated solely according to the free will of the people, who are the sovereign, rather than the doctrines of a specific religion.
Just a week ago, Japan's Supreme Court also issued a final dissolution order against the Unification Church for coercing large donations from its followers and colluding with the ruling party.
This incident is also a crime no less serious, and strict criminal punishment commensurate with the responsibility is inevitable.
Democracy and the peace of the community can be maintained only when the state remains in the secular realm and religion in the spiritual realm.
We will continue to respond strictly to crimes that abuse religion as a tool of power or undermine the freedom and democracy of the people in the name of religion.
"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves."
- Matthew 7:15