Shincheonji Simon Tribe Official Indicted Without Detention for Mass Democratic Party Enrollment

The Joint Investigation Headquarters for Political-Religious Collusion Corruption (led by Kim Tae-hoon, Chief Prosecutor of the Daejeon High Prosecutors' Office) announced today (the 25th) that it has indicted Heo, a theology department head of Shincheonji's Simon Tribe, without detention on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act.

Person A, a supporter of a preliminary candidate who requested the recruitment of party members, was also indicted along with him.

Ahead of the June 3 local elections this year, Person A is accused of asking Heo around August of last year to support a specific candidate running in the Democratic Party's preliminary primary for Goyang mayor, promising to "help resolve civil complaints such as the Goyang City sanctuary issue" in return.

According to the investigation, in response to Person A's request, Heo had about 30 followers join the Democratic Party.

The Simon Tribe operates mainly in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, covering northwestern Seoul and northern Gyeonggi Province.

Meanwhile, Chairman Lee Man-hee was indicted and detained in June on charges of forcing at least 56,472 followers to join political parties between 2021 and 2024 to influence the People Power Party's presidential and general election primaries.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.