Kim Keon-hee Special Prosecutor, Grand National Party Attempted Seizure and Search Again... "Request for Unification Church Membership Application Data" (Comprehensive)

Attempting to Negotiate Voluntary Submission... Song Eon-seok "Protecting Party Member Registry," Requests Lawmakers to Gather

Grand National Party Floor Leader Song Eon-seok enters the party headquarters to block the seizure and search (Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Ryu Yeong-seok = On the 18th, as the Special Prosecutor's Team, led by Prosecutor Min Jung-ki, investigating allegations surrounding First Lady Kim Keon-hee, attempted a seizure and search of the Grand National Party headquarters in relation to allegations of a "Unification Church mass membership application," Grand National Party Floor Leader Song Eon-seok is seen entering the party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, to prevent the seizure and search. 2025.9.18 ondol@yna.co.kr

The Special Prosecutor's Team, investigating allegations surrounding First Lady Kim Keon-hee, is re-attempting a seizure and search of the Grand National Party headquarters in relation to allegations of a "Unification Church mass membership application."

According to legal circles on the 18th, the special prosecutor's team dispatched prosecutors and investigators to the Grand National Party's central headquarters in Yeouido on this day, presented search warrants, and requested data related to Unification Church members' applications.

A source from the special prosecutor's team explained, "Although it takes the form of a seizure and search, we are in a situation where we are seeking cooperation to receive the data voluntarily from the Grand National Party."

This is the second attempt, one month after the seizure and search was thwarted on the 18th of last month.

The special prosecutor's team is investigating allegations that the Unification Church had a large number of its members apply for party membership to support lawmaker Kwon Seong-dong as party leader ahead of the Grand National Party's national convention in March 2023.

The special prosecutor's team believes that such a plan was requested by First Lady Kim through lawyer Jeon Seong-bae to a Unification Church world headquarters official, identified as Mr. Yoon, in early November 2022.

Around this time, Mr. Yoon sent a text message to Mr. Jeon asking, "What exactly is Yoon's will?" and "What scale is needed for the national convention?" Mr. Jeon responded by indicating lawmaker Kwon Seong-dong, stating, "Yoon's will is unchangingly Kwon."

The special prosecutor's team views that after lawmaker Kwon Seong-dong withdrew his candidacy for the party leadership election, the support target shifted to lawmaker Kim Ki-hyun.

The special prosecutor's team insists that it needs to compare the personal information of Unification Church members with those who joined the party during a specific period to ascertain the truth of the allegations.

To this end, seizure and search attempts were made at the central party headquarters on the 13th and 18th of last month, but they were unsuccessful due to opposition from the Grand National Party.

The Grand National Party maintains its stance of non-cooperation, arguing that the special prosecutor is attempting to seize a large amount of personal information.

On this day as well, Floor Leader Song Eon-seok sent a text message to lawmakers requesting, "All lawmakers currently within the National Assembly premises, please promptly gather on the first floor of the central party headquarters to protect the party member registry." Yonhap News