South Korea minister offers to quit amid allegations of Unification Church payments

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SEOUL, Dec 11 (Reuters) – South Korean Oceans Minister Chun Jae-soo on Thursday expressed his intention to step down so he can focus on disproving claims he received illegal payments from the Unification Church.

Calling the claims “completely false,” Chun told reporters he was offering to resign to avoid hurting the work of his ministry and President Lee Jae Myung’s government.

Local media reports in recent days have quoted unidentified sources as saying that a former Unification Church official told prosecutors about payments to members of parliament from Lee’s Democratic Party including Chun. The reports did not say how much money Chun was alleged to have received.

Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja is on trial on charges that she bribed former first lady Kim Keon Hee in return for business favours. Han has denied the allegation.

Chun said it was the “right thing to do” to step down to focus on addressing the allegations, which he said were “absurd” and “absolutely groundless.”

Lee has called for tough investigations into suspected improper links between religious groups and politicians regardless of party affiliation, without naming specific religious entities.

Kim, the wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, is also on trial on corruption charges.

(Reporting by Jack Kim; Editing by Chris Reese and Cynthia Osterman)