Aug. 12, 2025: UPI Bias: Does Legal History Shape Reporting? (https://unificationnews.eu/upi-bias-does-legal-history-shape-reporting/) (Knut Holdhus for Family Ferderation.../UC)
QuoteThe UPI seems to exceed other news agencies in terms of volume and details in this case.
That's called good journalism.
QuoteThe seven UPI reports published since then on legal actions in South Korea regarding the Unification Church / Family Federation naturally raise questions of editorial impartiality and potential bias. As the long-running litigation pitted UCI and Preston Moon against Family Federation, and UPI is under influence of UCI, there is real concern that UPI coverage reflects editorial bias favoring the UCI side – such as greater attention to allegations or framing of the Family Federation in a negative light. UPI is nominally a news agency; professional norms typically require separation between ownership influence and newsroom decisions. However, actual independence may be moderated by ownership interests.
Even if the investigative journalism is factually accurate and based on primary reporting, critics may perceive that UPI's outlet is more willing to highlight investigations against the Family Federation given its owners' longstanding conflict.
The headlines of the seven reports from 8th July to 7th August, are uniformly critical toward the Family Federation side (Unification Church), referencing arrests, raids, investigations, and scandal. The framing largely tracks the official Korean investigative narrative, but without visible counterpoint voices sympathetic to the Family Federation's perspective.
Below are the seven articles that form the basis of the above. And I have to say I am annoyed that Knut Holdus didn't link to them in his article. If you are going to claim bias, present thet links so that your audience can read your opinions/allegations and compare them to material in question. Of course, there is one obvious reason not to do that, but perhaps he's just lazy. And overall, as mentioned above, it seems he's simply complaining about good journalism and the inconvenient truths good journalists shine their lights on.
A little background: In early July of 2016, Young-jun Kim gave a presentation at the CESNUR conference in Korea (https://web.archive.org/web/20170205093329/https://www.cesnur.org/2016/daejin-cyberpro.htm) entitled Position of the Family Peace Association (https://web.archive.org/web/20210916193127/https://www.cesnur.org/2016/daejin_youngjun.pdf), the splinter group led by Preston Moon. The founder of CESNUR, Massimo Introvigne (https://www.cesnur.org/2008/mi_20.htm), also presented about Preston entitled Preston Moon and the Family Peace Association (https://web.archive.org/web/20210822051803/https://cesnur.org/2016/mi_preston_moon.pdf). I attended both of those presentations and although my memories are a little vague, I do remember finding both quite interesting - obviously this is a topic I find more than interesting!
Regarding the seven articles in question written by Young-jun, I remember reading a few of them around the time they were published when I started compiling this collection of articles (https://peterdaley.net/strangerthings/index.php?topic=59.0) related to the current criminal cases against Han Hak-ja and the Unification Church/Family Federation for World Peace and Unification. I was both impressed and surpised by her articles. Surprised because I knew that UPI had been acquired by Moon years earlier, but I wasn't sure if the main Unification Church still owned the company or if it was now owned by one of the sons who formed splinter groups. I distinctly remember thinking that the articles seemed too good for an organization owned by The Unification Church. In that respect, I was right. And it is interesting to compare the seven articles - and ones published since to a news company that is owned by the Unification Church, The Washington Times. That will come a little later.
Here are the seven articles in question:
Article 1, July 8: Special Prosecutor Begins Probe Into UC Executives (https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/07/08/unification-church-executives-criminal-suspects/6581752003509/) (Young-jun Kim for UPI - Owned by Hyun-jin Preston Moon)
Article 2, July 15: UC's No. 2 Executive Draws Scrutiny Over Bribery Allegations (https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/07/15/korea-unification-church-won-joo-bribery-allegations-media-ties-probe-2025/7251752627391/) (Young-jun Kim for UPI - Owned by Hyun-jin Preston Moon)
Article 3, July 18: UC Scandal Expands With Raids at More Than 10 Locations (https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/07/18/Unification-Church-scandal-expands-with-raids-at-more-than-10-locations/9461752874293/) (Young-jun Kim for UPI - Owned by Hyun-jin Preston Moon)
Article 4, July 21: UC Leadership Investigated for Financial Crimes, Election Interference (https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/07/21/news-unification-church-investigated/2931753110534/) (Young-jun Kim for UPI - Owned by Hyun-jin Preston Moon)
Article 5, July 25: UC Probe Widens: Notebook Reveals Alleged Political Outreach (https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/07/25/news-unification-church-political-funding/4921753452844/) (Young-jun Kim for UPI - Owned by Hyun-jin Preston Moon)
Article 6, July 31: UC Faces Intensified Prosecutorial Scrutiny, Arrests (Young-jun Kim for UPI - Owned by Hyun-jin (https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/07/31/news-unification-church-investigation-expands/7771753978331/) Preston Moon)
Article 7, Aug. 7: UC Leadership Faces Potential Criminal Charges Amid Expanding Corruption Inquiry (https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/08/07/perspective-unification-church-probe/8491754584986/) (Young-jun Kim for UPI - Owned by Hyun-jin Preston Moon)
Aug. 19: Probe into Alleged UC Influence Peddling Deepens: Media Reports (https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/08/19/news-unification-church-probe/7961755626132/) (Young-jun Kim for UPI - Owned by Hyun-jin Preston Moon)
Sept. 2: UC Leader Denies Ordering Illegal Political Funding (https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/09/02/news-unification-church-Hak-Ja-Han/7461756831252/) (Young-jun Kim for UPI - Owned by Hyun-jin Preston Moon)
Sept. 15: Faith Under Review: Balancing Rights & Responsibilities (https://www.upi.com/Voices/2025/09/15/religious-groups-persecution-harassment-worldwide/2841757704145/) Rev. Dr. Paul Murray For UPI - Owned by Hyun-jin Preston Moon)
QuoteIn 2014, prosecutors charged Yoido Full Gospel Church founder David Yonggi Cho and his son with breach of trust and tax evasion after the church faced a $12 million loss due to stock price manipulation. The case was tried publicly and led to convictions for financial misconduct, as reported by outlets including Hankyoreh and JoongAng Daily. Cho received a fine and a suspended sentence, while his son went to jail.
Throughout the process, the faith, teachings or charitable activities of Yoido Full Gospel Church were never put on trial. Congregants' right to worship remained intact and operations continued as usual. The case underscored a key distinction: Faith is sacred, but it does not exempt anyone from accountability for fraud. Now, the Unification Church faces similar scrutiny in Korea and Japan.
In Japan, the Tokyo District Court in March ordered the Unification Church's dissolution as a religious corporation after discovering decades of consumer protection abuses. These abuses involved coercive fundraising, called "spiritual sales," which harmed thousands of families. The ruling was based on testimony from victims and civil actions filed by church members, not on disputes over theology or public worship. While the court's decision revoked the church's tax status and allowed for the liquidation of its assets, it did not ban the organization's religious activities or existence. Its focus remained on concrete harm rather than beliefs, and this action is currently under appeal.
Sept. 23: South Korean Court Arrests UC Leader Hak-ja Han, Rejects Detention of Aide (https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/09/23/korea-court-arrests-unification-church-leader-hak-ja-han/2701758658025/) (UPI Staff for UPI - Owned by Preston Moon)
Oct. 10: South Korea Indicts UC Leader Hak-ja Han (https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/10/10/Han-Hak-ja-indicted-unification-church/4421760109017/) (Young-jun Kim for UPI - Owned by Preston Moon)
Oct. 20: Secret Prosecutor Roster Found in UC Raid (https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/10/20/special-prosecutor-list-officers-unification-church-probe/8621760973973/) (Youngjun Kim for UPI - Owned by Preston Moon)
Dec. 2: South Korea's UC Faces Presidential Scrutiny (https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/12/02/unification-shurch-presidential-review-constitution-violations/8961764697722/) (Young-jun Kim for UPI - Owned by Preston Moon)
Dec. 21: Japanese Prosecutors Seek Life Sentence for Abe Assassin (https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/12/21/korea-japan-abe-assassin/8841766311920/) (Asia Today: Translated by UPI - Owned by Preston Moon)
Dec. 15: UC Issues Public Apology (https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/12/15/korea-church-politic/5801765774572/) (Asia Today: Translated by UPI - Owned by Preston Moon)
Dec. 30: Lee Orders Probe Into Claims of UC lobbying (https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/12/30/president-lee-ordered-investigation-unification-church-lobbied-politicians/4771767129397/) (Asia Today: Translated by UPI - Owned by Preston Moon)
Jan. 1: Police Raid Aide to UC Leader in Bribery Probe (https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2026/01/01/lobbying-allegations-unification-church-raid-jeong-won-ju/1481767245989/) (Asia Today: Translated by UPI - Owned by Preston Moon)
Feb 2: Korean Christian Council Warns Anti-Discrimination Bill Threatens Religious Freedom (https://www.upi.com/amp/Top_News/World-News/2026/02/02/christian-council-anti-discrimination-bill-undermine-religious-freedom/7241770074733/) (Asia Today: Translated by UPI - Owned by Preston Moon)
I forget why I posted this link here... perhaps I was multi-tasking with several windows open. I'll leave it here for now.
July 4: UC-Related Japan NGO to Sue Lawyers' Group for 'Defamation' (https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20230704/p2a/00m/0na/004000c) (The Mainichi)