Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja has been sentenced to two years in prison in a bribery case. -EPA
A South Korean court has sentenced Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja to a combined two years in prison over political funding and bribery offences tied to alleged efforts to cultivate influence with former president Yoon Suk Yeol's administration.
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The Seoul Central District Court found Han, 83, was involved in providing money to politicians and luxury goods to former first lady Kim Keon Hee through an intermediary, according to the ruling.
Han denied wrongdoing, saying she had no interest in politics and that subordinates had acted without her knowledge.
Charges against Han for obtaining and deleting investigation information related to a 2022 "casino gambling trip to the US," providing funds to overseas politicians using Unification Church funds between 2021 and 2022 to expand the church's influence, embezzling church funds to purchase jewellery were dismissed.
The court ruled these charges fell outside the scope of the special counsel team's investigation as defined by law.
Han is widow of the church's founder, Sun Myung Moon.
