South Korea's Lee calls for probe into links between religious group and politics

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has called for an investigation into the suspected illegal links between a religious group and politicians, Lee's office said on Wednesday.

Lee's order should apply "no matter whether (a politician is from the) ruling or opposition party, a high or low position", the presidential office said in a statement.

The statement did not specify the religious group.

During a livestreamed cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Lee said he had ordered his ministers to consider ways to "disband religious groups that meddle in politics and do strange things with illegal funds," and asked about how South Korea's process to disband a religious group differed from Japan's system.

Lee's spokesperson on Tuesday also said the president had not singled out a particular religious group.

Some politicians have said, however, that Lee's comments appeared to be directed at the Unification Church, whose leader Han Hak-ja is currently on trial over allegations she bribed former first lady Kim Keon Hee in return for political favours.

The case is part of a string of investigations by special prosecutors into ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim in the wake of Yoon's martial law order in December 2024.

Han has denied any wrongdoing.

A former Unification Church official told a special prosecutor that lawmakers in Lee's ruling party also received funds from the Unification Church, South Korean media has reported.

Police have been asked to investigate any contacts between ruling party members and the Unification Church, the Yonhap News Agency reported on Tuesday.

A spokesperson for the Unification Church did not have an immediate comment on Wednesday.

In Japan, a Tokyo district court ordered the dissolution of the Unification Church in March. The case has since gone to appeal.