A South Korean court has extended the suspension of detention for Han Hak-ja, leader of the Unification Church, until the end of this month. Han was sentenced to two years in prison by a lower court over alleged collusion between the church and the government of former President Yoon Suk-yeol.
The 27th criminal division of the Seoul Central District Court, presided over by Judge Woo In-sung, extended the suspension until 6 p.m. on the 30th of this month, legal sources said on the 1st.
Han's request for bail was rejected along with the prison sentence the previous day, but the church leader was not immediately detained because the existing suspension of detention, granted on health grounds, ran through the 2nd.
Suspension of detention is a system that allows a defendant to be temporarily released when urgent grounds are recognized, such as serious illness, childbirth or attending a family funeral. It takes effect immediately upon the decision and, unlike bail, requires no payment of a deposit or other conditions.
The court is understood to have restricted Han's residence during the suspension period, requiring the church leader to remain only at the hospital where treatment is being received. Han was granted suspension of detention in November last year and in February this year for health reasons. The period has been extended several times since March this year.
Han was sentenced to two years in prison after the court found the church leader guilty of providing money and valuables to first lady Kim Keon-hee and former People Power Party lawmaker Kwon Seong-dong to solicit favors on issues facing the Unification Church. The court also found Han guilty of embezzling church funds and of making 144 million won in split political donations to People Power Party lawmakers and others.
Some charges of embezzlement in the course of duty were found not guilty. The court dismissed the indictment on charges including instigating the destruction of evidence and embezzlement related to funding the election campaigns of foreign politicians, ruling that they fell outside the scope of the special counsel investigation under the Kim Keon-hee special counsel law.
