Special Counsel Summons Former Police Commissioner Yoon Hee-keun as Suspect in 'Unification Church Investigation Cover-up' Case

The second comprehensive special counsel team summoned former National Police Agency Commissioner Yoon Hee-keun at 10:00 a.m. today (June 23) for questioning regarding allegations of "covering up the Unification Church overseas gambling investigation."

Yoon was summoned as a suspect on charges of abuse of power.

Yoon is accused of suppressing an investigation after police received intelligence that Unification Church leadership, including President Hak Ja Han, had engaged in gambling worth 60 billion won at casinos in Las Vegas, USA, between 2008 and 2011.

Circumstances suggesting that the Unification Church had been tipped off about the intelligence and prepared for the investigation have also been uncovered.

In a conversation between former Unification Church World Headquarters Secretary-General Yoon Young-ho and an acquaintance, it was revealed that "a top-level official mentioned the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act. They told us to prepare because a search and seizure might occur," and "A 'Yoon Haek-gwan' (a key associate of Yoon Suk Yeol) informed us about the police's internal investigation. I reported it to the higher-ups."

The special counsel team led by Min Joong-ki, which previously investigated the case, concluded that People Power Party lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong, a close aide to former President Yoon, had received the police intelligence and passed it on to the Unification Church, leading to the indictment of Kweon and President Han.

However, the investigation into how the information was leaked from within the police and whether there was intervention from higher authorities remained incomplete.

The comprehensive special counsel team subsequently took over the case and has been investigating whether Yoon, who was appointed as the first police commissioner after the election of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, directed or was involved in the cover-up.

On the 28th of last month, the team conducted a search and seizure of Yoon's residence and mobile phone to secure relevant evidence.

Yoon has categorically denied the allegations.

Upon arriving at the special counsel's office today, Yoon stated, "I had never heard of any matters related to the Unification Church until I finished my term and retired," adding, "At that time, I had not even become the police commissioner, and even after taking office, I neither received reports on criminal intelligence nor issued any related instructions."

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