A Seoul court revoked bail for Han Hak-ja, president of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification — the Unification Church — on Tuesday, citing the risk she would flee or destroy evidence, after she repeatedly left the hospital where her bail conditions confined her.
Han, 83, had been released on bail on October 19 on a payment of 200 million won, about 23.5 million yen. The Seoul High Court set her residence as the hospital and restricted whom she could meet to medical staff and lawyers. She was convicted in August and sentenced to two years in prison on charges including violating the Political Funds Act by providing money and goods to win favors from the administration of former President Yoon Suk Yeol.
The high court canceled the bail on Tuesday, the day of a hearing in her appeal, and ordered the bail money forfeited. Han's side argued she had not breached her conditions. The court found the risk of flight or evidence tampering instead.
Daily trips to a church 'holy site' in Seoul
Han traveled by car each morning from the hospital to a church facility on the outskirts of Seoul regarded as a holy site, and set off back to the hospital at night, JTBC television reported on Monday. She made the round trip almost every day in late October, and on the longest days was away from the hospital for 12 hours.
Church executives helped move Han, who uses a wheelchair. Citing an informant inside the church, JTBC reported that security cameras at the facility were switched off while she was there, and that she met people who had been questioned by prosecutors.
The hospital lies more than 50 kilometers from the facility.
Public attention returned to the church after the shooting of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.