South Korean Christian Abusers, Exploiters, and Frauds are Historically Common
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): Vocal.Media
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2025/10/23
This chronological overview traces seven decades of major crimes committed by South Korean Christian leaders, from Park Tae-seon’s 1950s fraud convictions to Jung Myung-seok’s 2025 sexual-violence sentence. It details embezzlement, fraud, tax evasion, sexual assault, and coercive control cases involving figures such as Sun Myung Moon, David Yonggi Cho, and Shin Ok-ju. The analysis links these patterns to the professional limitations of theology-only education and rigid gender expectations in conservative Christianity, suggesting that such environments may exacerbate vulnerability to corruption. It closes by urging stronger transparency, regulation, and ethical oversight within South Korea’s religious institutions.
Part of the Issue
The problem with theological degrees or training without other skills can become the inability to be hired competently in many other domains of professional life. Many Christians who acquire bachelors degrees in theology, including reasonably intelligent ones, may encounter this problem if they do not originally intend on this pursuit.
“My God-given purpose in life” can be a cover for “no other options,” particularly with the narrow permissible gender role expectations of Christian married men with a child or children, which can become the seeds for future criminal activities for some. While such pressures can create economic or psychological strain, this pattern is not universal nor causal. The following are court-verified cases of financial and abuse-related crimes by high-profile South Korean Christian leaders.
1950s/1960s
Park Tae-seon was the founder of Olive Tree (Cheonbugyo). He was repeatedly prosecuted decades earlier. He had fraud-related convictions in 1959 with an initial 2 years and 6 months at trial, then a 1 year and 6 months on appeal. There was additional sentencing in 1961 tied to election-law violations. Custodial time served into 1962.
1980s
Sun Myung Moon founded the Unification Church (conviction in the United States). He was found guilty of willfully filing false tax returns and conspiracy. His sentence was 18 months plus a fine. He served ~13 months (1984–1985) at FCI Danbury. His conviction was upheld on appeal. The Supreme Court declined review.
1990s
Lee Jang-rim founded the Dami Mission, which was a 1992 “rapture” movement. He predicted the Christian Rapture for October 28, 1992. He was arrested in September 1992 for fraud tied to end-times donations and investments. A Seoul court between December 4 and 5, 1992 convicted Jang-rim of fraud and gave a two-year prison term for swindling about $4.4 million from followers.
Yoo Byung-eun founded the Evangelical Baptist Church or the “Salvation Sect”, and had Semo/Chonghaejin links. He was convicted of fraud in the early 1990s and given a 4-year prison term for diverting church members’ funds to his businesses. During the 2014 Sewol investigations, it was widely re-reported.
Kim Ki-soon/Kim Ki-sun is the leader of Baby Garden (Agadongsan). He faced a raft of allegations in the 1990s. In 1998, she was acquitted of murder and fraud, but convicted of embezzlement/tax offenses. The Supreme Court confirmed 4 years’ imprisonment and a ₩5.6 billion fine.
2000s
Cho Hee-seong founded Victory Altar (Yeongsaeng-gyo). He was convicted for fraud, illegal detention, and worker exploitation in the 1990s. Later, he was tied to follower killings. In February 2004, he was given a death sentence at first instance for the ordering of six murders. Between May and June 2004, a higher court overturned the death verdict and then found no order to kill, reducing it to a two-year term for aiding perpetrators’ escape. Cho died in custody before a Supreme Court review.
2010s
David Yonggi Cho founded Yoido Full Gospel Church. Cho orchestrated an overpriced share purchase benefiting his son, Cho Hee-jun’s, firm. Also, he had an unpaid gift tax tied to the deal and evaded taxes. At the Seoul Central District Court on February 20, 2014, Cho was charged with breach of trust causing ₩13.15B loss to the church. Cho received a 3 year imprisonment with a 5 year suspension. His son Hee-jun received 3 years’ imprisonment. The suspended term was later reduced to 2 years and 6 months with a 4-year suspension while the conviction stood.
Lee Jae-rock of the Manmin Central Church through the Seoul Central District Court was convicted of serial rapes of congregants and sentenced to 15 years and therapy with post-release work restrictions. The sentence was increased to 16 years on appeal. The Supreme Court on August 9, 2019 affirmed the conviction with a final term recorded as 16 years after appellate adjustments.
Shin Ok-ju of Grace Road Church was another criminal and abuser. She was found to have confiscated followers’ passports, ritualized beatings (“threshing floor”), and engaged in coercive control. At the Anyang branch of Suwon District Court between July 31 and August 2, 2019, Shin was charged with assault, child abuse, fraud, unlawful confinement, and coercion of followers moved to Fiji, and violence. She received 6 years’ imprisonment with co-leaders having shorter terms and suspended terms. Fiji and international actions continued against the group in subsequent years.
2020s
Lee Man-hee led the Shincheonji Church of Jesus. Man-hee was charged with embezzlement of ~₩5.6B in church funds and unauthorized use of public facilities (separate from COVID-era charges). He diverted church funds, including to build a residence, and used government facilities without approval. In Suwon District Court on January 13, 2021, he received a three-year prison term, suspended for five years (probationary). Later, the top court in 2022 kept the embezzlement conviction/suspended term intact.
Jung (Jeong) Myung-seok is the founder of the Providence/Christian Gospel Mission (JMS). Between 2008 and 2018, he served 10 years in prison for sex crimes. The new case from Daejeon District Court on December 22, 2023 resulted in a sentence of 23 years based on sexual violence against followers including quasi-rape. Based on appeals, the sentence was reduced to 17 years with the Supreme Court on January 9, 2025 upholding the sentence of 17 years including an electronic monitoring order.
Jeon Kwang-hoon founded the Sarang Jeil Church. He violated the Public Official Election Act by endorsing a candidate during worship. The Supreme Court upheld a ₩2,000,000 penal fine. Kwang-hoon was given a ₩20,000,000 fine over illegal fundraising at rallies in a separate case. No jail time.
Chun Ki-won founded Durihana, which is a Christian ministry. It runs an alternative school for North Korean defector teens. The Seoul Central District Court on February 15, 2024 sentenced Ki-won to 5 years for sexually assaulting six teenage defectors. The court ordered 80 hours of sex-offender treatment and a 5-year employment ban from child/disabled-related institutions. On July 16, 2024 the Seoul High Court upheld the sentence on appeal.
Presbyterian Pastor Si Young Oh was convicted in the Philippines of qualified trafficking in persons (minors). He was convicted abroad, not in South Korea, and was given a life sentence. The Supreme Court of the Philippines upheld the conviction on October 21, 2024.
The Future South Korean Christian Criminals
There are plenty of other South Korean Christian leaders who are criminals. Those are some noteworthy ones. Given the consistent history, the more constructive question is whether oversight and accountability mechanisms in South Korea’s religious institutions can evolve to prevent future scandals.
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