South Korea court sentences Unification Church leader to jail in political influence case

SEOUL: A South Korean court on Monday (Aug 31) sentenced Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja to a combined two years in prison over political funding and bribery offences linked to efforts to gain influence with former President Yoon Suk Yeol's administration.The Seoul Central District Court found that Han, 83, was involved in providing money to politicians and luxury goods, including Chanel bags and a diamond necklace, to former First Lady Kim Keon Hee, according to the ruling.Han, head of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, widely known as the Unification Church, was indicted in October 2025 by a special prosecutor team investigating allegations involving Yoon and Kim.The case was one of several probes launched after Yoon was removed from office following his December