Seoul: A special counsel on Wednesday sought a four-year prison term against a former Unification Church official embroiled in a corruption case linked to former President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife. Special counsel Min Joong-ki's team made the request against Yun Young-ho, former head of the church's global headquarters, during a trial at the Seoul Central District Court, saying the church colluded with political powers to expand its influence. "It was a grave violation that damaged the democratic system, resulting in consequences that shook public trust," the special counsel said. The final verdict is set to be delivered on Jan. 28.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Yun is accused of giving luxury gifts to former first lady Kim Keon Hee, Yoon's wife, in exchange for business favors in 2022. Yun, meanwhile, did not name Democratic Party (DP)-affiliated officials and lawmakers he claims were approached by the church during the administration of former President Moon Jae-in during his closing remarks.

Yun first made the DP-related claim at a hearing last Friday, accusing special counsel Min Joong-ki's team of conducting a biased investigation focused only on the church's alleged ties to the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) affiliated with former President Yoon. He testified that between 2017 and 2021, a period when Moon was in office, the church had been closer to the DP than to the PPP and had approached four people currently serving in ministerial positions, including two who paid visits to church leader Han.

During questioning by the special counsel team in August, Yun also reportedly testified that the church gave tens of millions of won each to two DP lawmakers between 2018 and 2020. The special counsel team admitted this week that it received such testimony from Yun but rejected allegations of bias, claiming the matter was not part of its investigation mandate. On Tuesday, the team transferred the case to the police.