Sept. 23 (UPI) -- A South Korean court on Monday ordered the detention of Hak Ja Han, leader of the Unification Church, on charges of illegal political funding, embezzlement and obstruction of justice. The order was in response to the special prosecutor's request for the issue of an arrest warrant.
In the same ruling, the court declined to approve the arrest of Jung Wonju, a former senior church executive, creating a striking contrast in accountability between the organization's top figure and one of her closest aides.
Prosecutors charged Han with four major offenses: providing unlawful political contributions in violation of the Political Funds Act; breaching the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act; misusing church funds for personal or political purposes; and obstructing justice by ordering or enabling the destruction of evidence.
The 82-year-old Han attended the proceedings in a wheelchair after being hospitalized last week for a heart procedure. The court accepted the prosecution's arguments that she should be held in detention pending trial.
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