South Korean investigators said on Thursday (September 18, 2025) that they have requested an arrest warrant for the leader of the Unification Church.

The announcement came a day after they questioned her about allegations that the church bribed the wife of jailed former President Yoon Suk Yeol and a conservative lawmaker.

The church leader, Hak Ja Han, is the 82-year-old widow of the church’s South Korean founder, Sun Myung Moon. She and the church have denied allegations they bribed Yoon’s wife, Kim Keon Hee, and the lawmaker.

Park Sang-jin, an investigator involved in the case, told The Associated Press that a court hearing to decide whether to approve Han’s arrest was scheduled for next Monday.

Ms. Kim was arrested and charged last month on allegations including bribery, stock manipulation and meddling in the selection of a legislative candidate. Her lawyers have denied the allegations.

The lawmaker, Kweon Seong-dong , a staunch Yoon loyalist was arrested this week. He has denied receiving money from the church. Investigators visited the headquarters of his conservative People Power Party on Thursday to request documents to examine claims that Unification Church members signed up en masse before the party’s 2023 leadership race to boost Kweon’s candidacy.

The investigation into Ms. Kim is one of three special prosecutor probes launched under Seoul’s new liberal government targeting Yoon’s presidency.

The others focus on Yoon’s planning and execution of martial law on December 3 and his government’s alleged cover-up of a marine’s drowning death during a 2023 flood rescue operation.

His imposition of martial law, which was short lived, led to his impeachment later that month and removal from office in April.

The Unification Church criticised the investigators’ attempt to arrest Han, insisting that she does not pose a flight risk or a threat of destroying evidence, and has cooperated with the probe even while recovering from a heart procedure this month.

“Requesting an arrest warrant for an internationally respected religious leader without presenting clear evidence is an excessive move that disregards even the most basic respect due to a religious leader,” the church said in a statement.

Ms. Kim is suspected of accepting luxury gifts through an intermediary from a Unification Church official who allegedly sought various business favours, including the church’s participation in a Cambodian development project. The official, who has been arrested, is also suspected of providing 100 million won (USD 72,400) in bribes to Kweon.

Han was questioned for nearly 10 hours on Wednesday. She and her church have said the official overstepped his authority and acted on his own.

Han is the top leader of the church, officially called the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, which her husband founded in 1954.

A self-proclaimed messiah who preached new interpretations of the Bible and conservative family values, Moon built the Unification Church into an international movement with millions of followers and extensive business interests. The church is widely known for mass weddings, pairing thousands of couples who often are from different countries.

The leader of the Unification Church, Han Hak-ja, appeared for questioning by prosecutors on Wednesday (September 17, 2025) over alleged involvement in bribing the wife of ousted South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol as part of a criminal probe into the former first couple.

Ms. Han declined to answer questions from reporters about the allegations as she arrived at the office of the special prosecutor.

“I’ve been unwell,” she said, when asked why she had chosen to respond to questioning, after refusing earlier summons.

Ms. Han, who is called “True Mother” by followers, is the widow of Unification Church founder Moon Sun-myung, who died in 2012.

Ms. Han was assisted by aides as she stepped out of the car and walked slowly through a throng of reporters and security.

A church official shouted “Mother, hang in there”, as Ms. Han made her way inside the prosecutors’ office.

An ambulance arranged by Han was on standby while she was interrogated, according to the special prosecutor’s team.

The special prosecutor has indicted former First Lady Kim Keon Hee for bribery and other charges in a widening probe into several charges of wrongdoing by her before and during Yoon’s presidency. Ms. Kim has been imprisoned as part of the probe.

Ms. Han has been accused of instructing the religious group to bribe the former first lady and Kweon Seong-dong, a veteran lawmaker and close confidante of Mr. Yoon. Ms. Han has denied the allegations.

Mr. Kweon from the conservative People Power Party was detained on Wednesday over concerns he could destroy evidence, prosecutors said. He has denied that he took bribes from the church.

Kim Hyong Kun, deputy special prosecutor, told reporters on Wednesday that Ms. Han did not exercise her right to remain silent and answered questions well related to allegations of violating political funding and anti-graft laws.

The prosecutors were not currently considering issuing an arrest warrant for Han, since she had come in for questioning, the prosecutor said.

Mr. Yoon, who is also in detention, is on trial over insurrection charges levelled against him by a separate special prosecutor related to his botched bid to declare martial law.

Ms. Kim is accused of receiving bribes worth 80 million won ($57,958) that include two Chanel bags and a diamond necklace from an official at the Unification Church in return for using her influence to help the church’s business interests.

Ms. Kim’s lawyers have denied the allegations against her, including over her receiving gifts.

Ms. Han has called the allegations against her “false information.”

The official from the church that prosecutors say was behind the bribery has been arrested and indicted on charges including violating anti-graft laws.

The Unification Church, formally called the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, said previously it was “deeply regrettable” that it failed to prevent the misconduct of a former senior official, but denied any involvement in the case.