Though Hak-ja Han (pictured at a Blessing Ceremony of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification in Gapyeong, South Korea, in September 2017) remains the public face of the Unification Church, insiders and former members describe Won-joo Jung as a behind-the-scenes operator with sweeping authority over the church’s administration, finances, and crisis management. File Photo by Keizo Mori/UPI | License Photo
As South Korea’s special prosecutor’s office expands its investigation into the Unification Church’s alleged political lobbying and financial misconduct, rising attention is turning to Won-joo Jung, deputy director of the Cheonmu Institute — the church’s top administrative body.
According to a report by The Hankyoreh, Jung is widely recognized as the de facto second-in-command, operating directly under church head Hak-ja Han.
In a notarized letter to church authorities, Young-ho Yoon, the former director-general of the church’s World Headquarters and now under investigation, named Jung in connection with the delivery of luxury gifts — including Chanel handbags and a Graff diamond necklace — to former First Lady Keon-hee Kim, wife of the recently impeached former President of South Korea Suk-yeol Yoon.
The gifts allegedly were funneled through Seong-bae Jeon, a spiritual figure known publicly as “Geonjin Beopsa.”
Yoon claimed to submit internal records linking Jung to the operation and requested that she face equivalent disciplinary action. His statement challenges the official church narrative that the gift transfer was merely an isolated case of individual misconduct.
The Hankyoreh reported that Jung, as deputy director of the Cheonmu Institute, is considered internally to be “the effective No. 2 figure in the church hierarchy,” suggesting she wields considerable influence over the organization’s strategy and finances.
Although subject to a travel restriction, Jung was granted permission to leave South Korea to visit her critically ill husband in the United States. It appears she has not yet returned from the United States to South Korea.
Meanwhile, in South Korea, there is ongoing investigation and growing public demands for accountability. Her prolonged absence amid escalating legal exposure has led to speculation that she may be avoiding potential legal consequences.
While she has not yet been formally indicted, prosecutors are believed to be examining her role in key decision-making processes and internal coordination, including allegations of document destruction tied to ongoing investigations.
Public scrutiny of Jung has intensified due to her close connections to major media outlets affiliated with the Unification Church. Her younger brother, Hee-taek Jung, is currently the president of Segye Ilbo (Segye Times), a South Korean daily owned by the church’s media arm. Jung’s husband’s younger brother is Tom McDevitt, the current chairman of The Washington Times, the U.S. newspaper funded by the church.
These family ties have raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest and the influence of internal media networks in shaping narratives surrounding the ongoing investigation.
Prosecutors have already executed search and seizure operations at the National Police Agency and Chuncheon Police Station on July 8, targeting communications and financial records tied to earlier church-related investigations.
While no formal indictments have been announced against Jung, Special Prosecutor Sang-jin Park confirmed — according to a DongA Ilbo report on July 8 — that his office is preparing to summon senior Unification Church figures, including Won-joo Jung and former World Headquarters director Young-ho Yoon, for questioning as part of its expanding investigation into alleged bribery, embezzlement, and obstruction of justice.
Though Hak-ja Han remains the public face of the Unification Church, insiders and former members describe Jung as a behind-the-scenes operator with sweeping authority over the church’s administration, finances, and crisis management. She has reportedly been involved in overseeing responses to allegations involving the misuse of church funds — some of which were allegedly spent on gambling trips in Las Vegas.
Her high-level authority, absence abroad, and looming summons suggest she may be a pivotal figure in unraveling the deeper structure of influence within the church’s leadership.
