1. Introduction to the text
This article discusses the investigation by a special prosecutor team into the alleged mass entry of Unification Church members into the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) ahead of its leadership election in March 2023. The special prosecutor team conducted a search and seizure operation at the PPP headquarters and a party member database management company.
2. Vocabulary
| Korean Word | Romanization | English Meaning | Contextual Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 특검 | teukgeom | special prosecutor | The special prosecutor team conducted a search and seizure operation. |
| 압수수색 | appsususeog | search and seizure | The special prosecutor team conducted a search and seizure operation at the party headquarters. |
| 통일교인 | tongilgyoin | Unification Church member | The special prosecutor team suspected that Unification Church members had collectively joined the party. |
| 당원 | dangwon | party member | The special prosecutor team confirmed a list of 110,000 suspected Unification Church member party members. |
| 전당대회 | jeondangdaehoe | party convention | The special prosecutor team is investigating the suspicion that the Unification Church tried to push for the election of a specific candidate as party leader ahead of the party convention. |
| 책임당원 | chaegimdangwon | responsible party member | It is unclear how many of the newly joined party members were responsible party members with voting rights. |
| 권성동 | Gwon Seong-dong | Kwon Seong-dong (a politician) | The special prosecutor team is investigating the suspicion that the Unification Church tried to push for the election of Kwon Seong-dong as party leader. |
| 정치자금법 | jeongjijageumlbeob | Political Funds Act | The PPP argued that there were no specific violations of the Political Funds Act or the Political Party Act related to the search and seizure operation. |
| 정당법 | jeongjangbeob | Political Party Act | The PPP argued that there were no specific violations of the Political Funds Act or the Political Party Act related to the search and seizure operation. |
| 영장 | yeongjan | warrant | The special prosecutor team arrived at the party headquarters with a warrant to conduct the search and seizure operation. |
3. The main text in both Korean and English
특검팀은 서울 영등포구 여의도 국민의힘 중앙당사와 당원명부 DB관리업체에 대해 압수수색영장을 집행했다. 특검팀은 2023년 3월 전당대회를 앞두고 통일교 교인들이 대거 당원으로 가입했다는 의혹을 수사 중이다.
The special prosecutor team executed a search and seizure warrant at the main office of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) in Yeouido, Seoul, and at a party member database management company. The special prosecutor team is investigating the suspicion that Unification Church members joined the party en masse ahead of the party’s leadership election in March 2023.
특검팀은 통일교 측이 당시 국민의힘 전당대회를 앞두고 권성동 의원을 당 대표로 밀기 위해 교인들을 대거 입당시켰다는 의혹을 수사 중이다. 하지만 국민의힘 측은 영장에 적시된 정치자금법 및 정당법 위반 혐의와 관련된 구체적 범죄사실이 없다고 반발했다.
The special prosecutor team is investigating the suspicion that the Unification Church tried to push for the election of Representative Kwon Seong-dong as party leader by having its members join the party en masse. However, the PPP argued that there were no specific violations of the Political Funds Act or the Political Party Act related to the search and seizure operation.
특검팀은 전날 오후 5시 35분 당사에 도착해 영장을 들고 당사에 진입하기 위해 승강기에 오르고 있다. 특검팀은 이날 오전 10시 15분께부터 중앙당사와 당원명부 DB관리업체 사무실에 검사와 수사관을 보내 자료 협조를 요청했지만, 국민의힘 측이 반발해 대치 상황이 이어졌다.
The special prosecutor team arrived at the party headquarters at 5:35 PM the previous day and were boarding the elevator with a warrant to enter the premises. The special prosecutor team had sent prosecutors and investigators to the party headquarters and the party member database management company office at around 10:15 AM that day to request cooperation, but the PPP protested, leading to a standoff situation.
특검팀은 통일교 측이 당시 국민의힘 전당대회를 앞두고 권성동 의원을 당 대표로 밀기 위해 교인들을 대거 입당시켰다는 의혹을 수사 중이다. 특검팀은 전당대회 투표권이 있는 책임당원이 얼마나 포함됐는지, 그리고 2023년 3월 전당대회 이전 신규 가입자 수가 얼마인지 등을 확인하고 있다.
The special prosecutor team is investigating the suspicion that the Unification Church tried to push for the election of Representative Kwon Seong-dong as party leader by having its members join the party en masse ahead of the party’s leadership election. The special prosecutor team is checking how many of the newly joined party members were responsible party members with voting rights, and how many new members joined before the March 2023 party convention.
특검팀은 당원명부 DB 관리업체에 대한 압수수색을 통해 통일교 측이 당원으로 집단 가입한 것으로 추정되는 당원 11만명의 명단을 확인했다.
Through the search and seizure operation at the party member database management company, the special prosecutor team confirmed a list of 110,000 suspected Unification Church member party members.
국민의힘 측은 특검팀의 강제수사에 반발하며, 영장에 적시된 정치자금법 및 정당법 위반 혐의와 관련된 구체적 범죄사실이 없다고 주장했다.
The PPP protested the special prosecutor team’s forced investigation, arguing that there were no specific violations of the Political Funds Act or the Political Party Act related to the search and seizure operation.
4. Reading comprehension questions
- What is the main focus of the special prosecutor team’s investigation?
- What did the special prosecutor team find during the search and seizure operation?
- How did the PPP respond to the special prosecutor team’s actions?
- What are the key issues the special prosecutor team is trying to determine regarding the new party members?
- What was the timeline of the special prosecutor team’s actions at the party headquarters and the database management company?
5. Cultural and historical notes
The Unification Church, also known as the “Moonies,” is a controversial religious movement founded by Sun Myung Moon. The church has been accused of unethical recruitment practices and political influence-peddling in South Korea. The suspicion that the Unification Church tried to infiltrate the main opposition party ahead of a key leadership election reflects the ongoing political tensions and distrust surrounding the church’s involvement in Korean politics.