Lee Man-hee, head of Sincheonji Church of Jesus (Yonhap) South Korean investigators sought an arrest warrant for Lee Man-hee, the leader of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, in a probe into allegations that the religious group forced followers to join a political party.The request brings the investigation to the top of one of South Korea’s most controversial religious groups, accused of mobilizing believers to influence internal contests of the conservative People Power Party.According to investigators, the joint team of prosecutors and police filed a warrant request Monday for charges including violations of the Political Parties Act.Lee is accused of forcing Shincheonji members to join the People Power Party, now South Korea’s main opposition party.The allegations center on party membership drives tied to the People Power Party’s 2021 presidential primary, when the party was in opposition, and its 2024 parliamentary nomination races, when it was the ruling party under then-President Yoon Suk Yeol.Local media has reported that investigators believe more than 50,000 Shincheonji members joined the party.The joint investigation team was launched on Jan. 6 to investigate suspected collusion between religious groups and politics.Earlier this month, the team sought arrest warrants for three former Shincheonji officials, including Ko Dong-an, a former senior administrator of the church who has been described in local reports as its former No. 2 figure.The former officials are accused of forcing followers to join the People Power Party with the aim of influencing elections between 2021 and 2024.Investigators searched Shincheonji’s headquarters and the People Power Party’s office earlier this year, securing church membership lists and party membership records as part of the probe, according to local media reports.Lee was summoned for questioning as a suspect on June 4 over allegations that he instructed or was involved in the alleged mass party membership drive.Shincheonji has denied that Lee ordered or was briefed on the process of followers joining the party, according to local media reports.Under Korea’s Political Parties Act, forcing someone to join or leave a political party is prohibited.A court will decide whether to issue the warrant after holding a hearing.