Shincheonji Church demands fair probe, rejects election interference claims
The Shincheonji Church of Jesus has called on politicians to stop exploiting the church for political gain and urged the Joint Investigation Headquarters to conduct an impartial fact-based inquiry into allegations linking the church to election interference, insisting that truth can only be established through a fair joint investigation across all political parties.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Shincheonji Church of Jesus expressed deep concern over what it termed a surge in speculative reports founded solely on unilateral claims by expelled individuals.
These reports allege “mass entry into the People Power Party,” “interference in the presidential election,” and “interference in the general election.”
The church categorically dismissed the allegations stating clearly and unequivocally that it has never instructed its members to join any political party including the People Power Party or the Democratic Party of Korea nor to engage in any form of political activity.
It emphasized that systematic election interference is neither structurally possible nor factually true.
According to the church, it does not have the means to know or control the individual political choices of its members.
It noted that individual political participation is a fundamental constitutional right and as such the church does not track members’ party affiliations nor maintain any lists related to political membership.
Despite this, the church observed that some politicians and media outlets in Korea continue to conclude without verified evidence that Shincheonji Church of Jesus is systematically interfering in elections in collusion with a specific political party.
The church warned that such conclusions amplify unverified speculation and effectively predetermine the outcome of investigations before they are completed.
The Shincheonji Church of Jesus stated that it seeks the establishment of truth based on facts rather than conjecture.
Consequently, it formally demanded that the Joint Investigation Headquarters undertake a fair and transparent verification process.
First, the church called for a simultaneous joint inquiry through cross-referencing the membership list of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus with political party rosters, including both the Democratic Party and the People Power Party.
The church expressed its willingness to provide its membership list subject to members’ consent, stressing that the investigation must not single out one party but align with the President’s directive for an investigation “without sanctuary.”
Second, the church said that if any individuals are confirmed to be registered members of political parties investigators must examine the circumstances under which they joined and determine whether any systematic instruction existed.
It further urged investigators to objectively verify whether such individuals participated in key intra-party processes including presidential or party leadership primaries.
Third, the church demanded that claims alleging it received special favors through political intervention be supported by clear details and concrete evidence.
It argued that allegations of political collusion are inconsistent with the current reality in which the church remains barred from using its own facilities as religious sites, despite acquiring them through legally compliant processes.
Finally, the Shincheonji Church of Jesus called on the Joint Investigation Headquarters to extend similar scrutiny to all religious groups including Protestant, Buddhist and Catholic denominations using the same investigative standards applied to the church to ensure fairness, neutrality and public confidence in the process.
