'Tongilgyo Allegations' Jeon Jae-soo, Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Resigns..."No Illegal Receipt of Money or Valuables," Claims / Yonhap News

On the 11th, the police formed a special investigation team of 23 members to investigate allegations of politicians receiving money and valuables from Tongilgyo (the Unification Church) and launched a full-scale investigation.

The special team, established within the Major Crimes Investigation Division of the National Police Agency, will be led by Superintendent Park Chang-hwan, the head of the Major Crimes Investigation Division. Superintendent Park, who was previously dispatched to the Cho Eun-seok special prosecutor's team for rebellion, returned today.

A total of 23 investigators, most of whom are from the Major Crimes Investigation Division, including Superintendent Park, have been assigned to the team.

Investigators from the special team will visit the Seoul Detention Center this afternoon to meet with Yoon Young-ho, the former head of Tongilgyo's World Headquarters, who is currently incarcerated.

They will review the special prosecutor's investigation and court testimony of former head Yoon to examine the credibility of the allegations raised.

The 'Tongilgyo money and valuables allegations,' which were transferred from Special Prosecutor Min Jung-ki, originated from Yoon's statement that he had also supported politicians from the Democratic Party, in addition to those from the People Power Party.

While the police are reviewing the transferred records, it is reported that they are coordinating schedules for the summons of some of the individuals involved in the allegations.

The statute of limitations for violations of the Political Funds Act is seven years. Considering this, if money was received in 2018, the statute of limitations for prosecution will expire at the end of this year, which could make it difficult to punish the individuals involved.

With this in mind, the police appear to be pursuing a "speedy investigation" from the first day of the special team's launch.

Jeon Jae-soo, the former Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, who has been identified as one of the individuals involved, stated today, "There was absolutely no illegal receipt of money or valuables," and expressed his intention to resign from his ministerial post.

Former head Yoon previously testified to the special prosecutor's team that he provided then-Assemblyman Jeon with two luxury watches and tens of millions of won around 2018-2020. It is also reported that he explained this as a request for favors related to resolving issues for the church, such as the promotion of the Korea-Japan undersea tunnel.

However, some argue that the statute of limitations for bribery charges can be extended up to 15 years, and it is reported that the special team has begun legal review on this matter.

It is known that the special prosecutor's team, upon assigning a case number for a preliminary investigation (investigation before indictment) to these allegations last month, determined that bribery charges could be applied to those who exchanged money and valuables.

The police are expected to first examine the investigation records and then proceed with coercive measures, such as applying for search and seizure warrants for specific individuals.