WORLD REPORTS
The Shincheonji Church of Jesus has accused the South Korean government of violating constitutional guarantees on freedom of religion following remarks by top government officials that labelled a religious group a “social harm” and ordered investigations against it.
In a statement dated January 19, 2026, members of the church said recent comments by President Lee Jae-myung and Prime Minister Kim Min-seok amounted to state interference in religious affairs and undermined due process.
The church cited Article 20 of the Constitution of the Republic of Korea, which guarantees freedom of religion and the separation of church and state, saying the government’s actions constituted a “grave violation” of those provisions.
On January 12, President Lee, while addressing a meeting with religious leaders, said that “societal harm [caused by a specific religion] has been neglected for too long, resulting in great damage.” A day later, Prime Minister Kim, speaking during a Cabinet meeting, used terms such as “cult” and “heresy” and ordered a joint government investigation and what he described as “eradication measures.”
According to the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the remarks effectively prejudged the outcome of any investigation before it had begun, thereby compromising the independence and fairness of the process.
“These statements from the highest offices of the executive branch preemptively brand a specific religious group as socially problematic,” the church said, adding that a secular government has no authority to determine religious doctrine or label beliefs as orthodox or heretical.
The church further questioned the legal basis on which the executive could issue what it termed “investigative guidelines” that could influence judicial independence.
While acknowledging that a government-mandated joint investigation is ongoing, the church said declaring a religious body a “cult” or a “harm” prior to any findings dismantles constitutional boundaries and risks discrimination against minority faiths.
The statement also noted that past allegations against the church have, in several instances, resulted in acquittals or findings of no suspicion by the courts. The church argued that revisiting matters already settled through judicial processes for political or media purposes undermines the rule of law.
Shincheonji Church of Jesus reiterated its call for what it described as a transparent and public examination of theological disputes through open Bible-based discussions, saying no fair response has been received from critics or authorities.
The church said it does not claim infallibility and expressed willingness to correct any doctrinal or social errors if identified with specificity. It also highlighted its involvement in volunteer work, disaster response and nationwide blood donation drives, saying the government had failed to present verified cases of harm caused by the church.
The statement warned that targeting one religious group could set a precedent for discrimination against other minority groups, and urged the government to abandon what it described as scapegoating politics in favour of unity and constitutional governance.
“The State has a duty to ensure that no citizen is ostracised or discriminated against on the basis of faith,” the statement read.
The church said its members would continue to cooperate with authorities and uphold the law while defending their constitutional right to freedom of religion.
