Shincheonji leader Lee Man-hee legal proceedings

Lee Man-hee, the 95-year-old leader of the Shincheonji Church, is facing legal proceedings in South Korea regarding allegations of evading approximately 7.57 billion won in corporate and value-added taxes. Prosecutors allege that between 2016 and 2020, church officials used the names of followers to operate convenience stores and maintained dual accounting books to conceal profits. Lee has denied these charges, with his defense arguing that discrepancies were unintentional omissions during the integration of unregistered stores into a formal system.

The situation has escalated from domestic legal disputes to international scrutiny. Lee is currently in pretrial detention in Seoul, prompting the organization CAP Freedom of Conscience to bring the case before the United Nations Human Rights Council. The organization has raised concerns regarding “politically motivated and discriminatory investigations against a religious minority” and has highlighted Lee’s precarious health, specifically noting his detention in cells without air conditioning during a heatwave. They argue these conditions may violate international standards for humane treatment and medical care.