Unification Church bribery scandal rocks Lee gov’t

The Unification Church's alleged bribery of ruling bloc figures is hitting the Lee Jae Myung administration, with one minister resigning over his alleged money acceptance from the religious organization and several other top officials also under similar suspicion. It is feared that the scandal will further shake the administration if more ministers and officials fall under suspicion. It could also extend to influencing the ruling bloc’s strategies and nominations for next June’s local elections. Oceans and Fisheries Minister Chun Jae-soo submitted his resignation early Thursday, amid allegations that he received between 30 million won ($20,377) to 40 million won in cash and two luxury watches from an official of the Unification Church, which sought his influence in its project to build an undersea tunnel connecting Korea and Japan. Chun denied the allegations, and acknowledged concerns that his resignation might be misconstrued as an admission of guilt. He added that he was stepping down to demonstrate his resolve and take responsibility, while also attempting to avoid placing furth

Unification Church bribery scandal rocks Lee gov’t