Stranger Things

Jan. 9, 2023: The Unification Church, Japan, & North Korea (Professor Isozaki Atsuhito for The Diplomat)

This quote doesn't pertain to North Korea, but I want to post it here for furture reference:

QuoteAs a researcher of the Korean Peninsula, I have been advised by senior researchers to be wary of organizations affiliated with the Unification Church and academic journals published by the organization. In Washington, I encountered some Unification Church members who invited me to a symposium, offering a huge honorarium. I declined because I was aware of the back story, but many respected researchers have been signed up for such symposia by groups affiliated with the Unification Church, which have approached them under different names. This has misled the researchers into inadvertently endorsing the "legitimacy" of the Unification Church.

I had been meaning to read this book since I first heard about it earlier in the year as it does have some references to Moon's Unification Church. I bought the Kindle version on September 22.

April 2026: Korean Messiah: Kim Il Sung & The Christian Roots of North Korea's Personality Cult (Jonathon Cheng)


Coincidentally, I then noticed Andrew Salmon of the UC-owned The Washington Times published a piece about the book two days earlier.There is one mention mention of UC in his article.

Sept. 20: How North Korea's 'Kimdom' Drew Inspiration From Founding Dictator's Christian Upbringing (Andrew Salmon for the UC-Owned Washington Times)

Quote"He (Kim Il-sung) had a remarkable re-engagement with the religion of his youth," said Mr. Cheng. "It was not an embrace — but he re-engaged." He (Sung-il Kim) built two churches in Pyongyang and invited South Korean, Korean-American and American pastors to visit. Among the pastors invited were Rev. Moon Sun-myung, founder of the Unification Church (who escaped North Korea and survived a Korean War massacre) and U.S. Evangelist Billy Graham, who unleashed two barn-storming sermons in Pyongyang.

So far I've just searched my copy for mentions of the UC, and this sentence, which isn't a sentence I would expect to see quoted in The Washington Times, caught my eye:

QuoteAs Mun's (Rev. Sun-myung Moon) erstwhile daughter-in-law put it after abandoning the faith she was raised in: "The Unification Church is a classic example of what psychologists call a cult of personality."

That daughter-in-law, as identified in the footnote accompanying the above, is Nan-sook Hong. Another interesting detail I wasn't aware of: Jim Jones also took an interest in how North Korea was run. Jim Jones, Moon, and Kim Il-sung - birds of a feather flock together.

And there a lot of mentions of the word "cult" in Andrew's piece. I have to wonder if they gave him pause to consider cultic aspects of the UC.

QuoteUltimate personality cult

In the late 1950s, as North Korea rebuilt from the devastation of U.S. bombing, Kim began forging his personality cult with a vengeance. ... As the cult expanded, fellow comrades bore witness. ...
"Kim was perhaps the greatest persecutor of the Christian faith of the 20th century," Mr. Cheng continued. "He crushed it while building an alternative that was very close to Christianity."

At least the UC's plans to take over the world don't involve crushing, but the UC would certainly love to be in control of a similar society.

September 2026 Cont.

Sept. 2: UC Lay Members Apologize, Warn Losing Faith Spaces (The Chosun Daily)

QuoteThe Lay Members Council revealed, "Since last August, we requested the collection of evidence favorable to Chairperson Han Hak-ja, but received no written response from the religious group regarding any documents." They added, "The following measures required minimal cost, posed no disadvantage to the chairperson, and could be verified in writing: pre-collection of evidence, formation of an independent legal team, resolution of conflicts of interest, transparency in attorney fee structures, supplementation of bail and health records, preemptive review of Japan's dissolution case, and documentation of legal briefings. However, no response was received."

Not the appeal members were waiting for; this is the other one:

Sept. 4: Special Counsel Appeals Unification Church Leader's Sentence in Bribery Case (The Korea Times)

QuoteA special counsel team on Friday appealed Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja's two-year prison sentence for bribing the wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol and other corruption charges. Special counsel Min Joong-ki's team, which had sought a 13-year prison term for the 83-year-old, said it submitted the appeal, arguing the sentence did not match the gravity of her crimes.

Sept. 7: UC Leader Appeals Two-Year Sentence in Bribery Case (Yonhap News)

QuoteHan's legal representatives submitted the appeal Friday, days after a Seoul court convicted the 83-year-old on charges of violating the anti-graft law, the political funds law, and embezzlement.

Sept. 29: CIO Clears Min Joong-gi Special Prosecutor Team of 'UC Biased Investigation' Allegations (The Asia Business Daily)

Sept. 30: Busan Mayor's Ex-Aides Convicted in UC Evidence Destruction (The Chosun Daily)

QuoteFormer aides to Chun Jae-soo, the mayor of Busan, have been found guilty of destroying evidence ahead of a raid related to allegations of receiving money and valuables from the Unification Church during his time as a member of the National Assembly. ...

"A" allegedly dismantled the computer's hard drive with a screwdriver, smashed it with a hammer, bent the SSD (semiconductor memory chip storage device) with his hands and feet, and discarded the pieces in a nearby field and a trash bin at a Busan bathhouse.

The defendants argued that the statute of limitations for the alleged bribery had expired, making the evidence destruction charge invalid. However, Judge Kim stated, "If investigations reveal that Chun Jae-soo received bribes exceeding 30 million Korean won, the statute of limitations would extend to over 10 years, meaning the statute of limitations for Chun's criminal case would not have expired at the time of the defendants' actions. Therefore, it cannot be conclusively stated that criminal prosecution against Chun was impossible."

Note: As per the last sentence above, while there were convictions of destroying evidence of bribary, the receiver of those bribes was not prosecuted and is now the mayor of Busan. While the destroyers of the evidence were caught, their actions to protect their boss were successful. Is it possible their sacrifices will not be rewarded by he who was protected? The absurdity of this was explored in this article before the convictions:

April 11: Chun Cleared, Aides Indicted for Evidence Destruction (The Chosun Daily)

QuoteA legal professional remarked, "How can aides who destroyed evidence to cover something up be indicted, while the politician accused of crimes is cleared?"

September 2026 Cont.

Sept. 3: How the UC Could Help Reconcile the Two Koreas (Joseph R. DeTrani for The UC-Owned Washington Times)

QuoteThe sentencing on Monday of Dr. Han — the federation's leader since the 2012 death of her husband — to two years in prison on bribery charges must have confounded the leadership in Pyongyang. ... One would hope that South Korean government would want to work with the Family Federation and UPF to reestablish a relationship with a hostile North Korea, given the excellent relationship UPF has with North Korea.

QuoteAmbassador DeTrani served over two decades with the CIA as a member of the Senior Intelligence Service.

Older "news", but members have been sharing it on Facebook a lot since the sentencing. I just noticed the date, but I think they're serious! lol

April 1, 2026: UPF Co-Founder Dr Hak-ja-Han Nominated For Nobel Peace Prize (United Peace Federation)

To be fair, she's more deserving than the guy in The White House she threw 2 million dollars to.

September 2026

Sept. 1 Personal Update: I was happily surpised to get a media request for a Zoom interview. Unfortunately, it was all very short notice - the pitfalls of reporting timely news. I got the request just around 4 hours before air time, and I had just finished work and had some prior commitments. Well, it was good to know I'm still on the radar of at least one major news agency.

A good summary of the scandal and the UC's ties to Washington:
Sept. 1: The Scandal-Plagued Moonies Still Have a Friend in Donald Trump (Elle Hardy for The New Republic)

QuoteFor the church, however, their position is clear: Their multibillionaire leader should continue to enjoy her lifestyle on the backs of church members' work and donations. In a statement, the president of the American church, Demian Dunkley, said that "the Mother of Peace should be free to travel the world." Following her arrest last September, her estranged son Sean, who has called her the "Whore of Babylon," said in a statement that "this is only the beginning of the Judgment."

For many church critics, Han's conviction has the air of Al Capone to it: She's been nailed for relatively minor charges, while long-standing allegations about embezzlement of church funds and exploitation of members' labor continue to go unexamined by courts under the guise of religious freedom. So far, Han's allies in Washington have remained conspicuously quiet—but given their long-standing financial arrangements, that's unlikely to last long.

It did not indeed last long:

Sept. 1: Statement from 70th Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on the Sentencing of Dr. Hak Ja Han (Mile Popmeo)

QuoteThe sentencing of religious leader Dr. Hak Ja Han to two years in prison is deeply troubling for anyone who cares about religious liberty and free expression. The evidence suggests that Dr. Han was targeted for her religious and political beliefs.

Dr. Han has never been charged with so much as a parking ticket in her life, yet has already been detained for nearly a year in terrible conditions despite her advanced age and health problems. 

This is a betrayal of South Korea's hard-won democratic values. I pray that the government of South Korea reconsiders this case on appeal and does not go further down the path of religious persecution.

Sept. 2: What is Wrong with Interfering in Politics? (Michael Breen for The Korea Times)

QuoteIn other words, it's reasonable to prosecute Han Hak-ja and Lee Man-hee if they have presided over corruption.

Note: The word bribary is not mentioned in the above, but he used that word leading up to the trial. And the above quote certainly caught my eye.

If they presided? That has already been deteremined in Han's first case. The New York Times used that exact word in its reporting.

Aug. 31: South Korea's UC Leader Gets Two Years in Prison for Corruption (The New York Times)

In January, Michael was all for crimes being punished:

Jan. 15: Religion, Politics, Payback: Why the Jailing of Han Hak-ja Feels Familiar Michael Breen for The Korea Times)

QuoteIf she and other officials are found to have broken the law, they will be punished.

Back in 2012, Michael didn't want the UC investigated in any way shape or form, a very unusual opinion for a former member, and also quite an unjournalstic stance from a former journalist.

Sept. 3, 2012: How Society Handled Moon Sun-myung (Michael Breen for The Korea Times)

QuoteIt's hard to feel sorry for a billionaire, harder if he's regarded by thousands around the world as the messiah.

But spare a thought for Rev. Moon Sun-myung who in public, outside of his adoring inner circle, never had a single good review. He was vilified and ridiculed most of his adult life. The criticism and hounding of his followers � contemptuously known as "Moonies" � have been unrelenting. Why? Not because his beliefs and claims are any more ridiculous than other religious notions, but because they were new. ...

Given this, why could he not simply be ignored?

Sept. 25, 2025: A comment under the September 2 piece at the top of this thread caught my eye, and I decided to reply just quickly. Michael's association and support of the UC despite stating in interviews that he left the group in the 1980s is something I find it as fascinating as it is odd.

QuoteFoolsLive: "If they have presided over corruption..." The dishonesty of the whole column lies in this "if." And for transparency's sake, we demand to disclose the columnist's past and present relations to the "religious" organizations that he "covers."

QuotePeter: He still attends events and seems close to many senior member who joined around the same time - giving a zoom lecture to many old time members etc. Not, I should add, to anyone charged with a crime. That is certainly unusual for someone who is (sometimes) described as a former member. Like the above piece and when he is quoted in The Washington Times, that prior membership is often not acknowledged. It seems the Washington Times has some institutional amnesia. There are plenty of details online. If you go to tparents.org and search his name, you can see some of the more recent events he participated in and spoke at. There are other bits and pieces scattered around UC sites and YouTube.

Ironically, that unhelpful attribution goes against the journalistic standards of this UC-born journalism thing.

"Restore credibility of journalism by scrupulously pursuing accuracy, clear attribution from credible sources... blah blah blah"

Michael spoke at one of their events - the last sentence.

A good summary of the scandal and the UC's ties to Washington:

Sept. 1: The Scandal-Plagued Moonies Still Have a Friend in Donald Trump (Elle Hardy for The New Republic)

March 5, 2015: Will We Move Forward to Establish an Eternal World of Peace? (Han Hak-ja - Cheon Il Guk Leaders' Assembly Opening Address )

There are a lot of mentions of Cheon Il Guk in the above speech, but it was the mention of Hoon Dok Hae in this paragragh that caught my eye. I had read about the ritual earlier, and I had meant to post about it earlier, but thanks to a member sharing the speech on Facebook recently, I was reminded to post it. It is yet another commonality between the UC and the North Korean regime.

QuoteYou must also develop your spiritual awareness, through prayer, service to others, and Hoon Dok Hae. By consistently practicing Hoon Dok Hae, you will come to clearly understand how Heaven's providence is unfolding in this era. We cannot receive heavenly fortune without any conditions or qualifications. Our Heavenly Parent is depending on you. However, Heavenly Parent and True Parents cannot wait for you unconditionally.

So what is the Hoon Dak Hae ritual?

Here are some descriptions:

Hoon Dok Hae (TPWords)

QuoteHoon Dok Hae tradition is the tradition of reading the Word of God. If it takes root in every family, in every aspect of life, then the truth will bear tangible fruit in real daily life. Make Hoon Dok Hae whenever you have time, even if you're alone or on the toilet!

Wherever we are, we must gather together and study the message of God revealed to us; we call it Hoon Dok Hae, that is, the study of the Word that is pleasing to God.

When we read God's Word, God is with us. If we diligently observe the Hoon Dok Hae tradition, the spirits from the spirit world will descend and participate in the readings with us, thus gaining the benefit of resurrection through return. Thus, reading Hoon Dok Hae materials is a way to mobilize the heavenly spirit world.

Providential Significance of Hoon Dok Hae (Family Federation History)

QuoteOn September 1, 1997, at the celebration of the ninth anniversary of the "Proclamation of Heavenly Parentism" at Belvedere, True Father proclaimed a "New Start." He instructed all blessed families to set aside one hour each morning from 6:00 to 7:00 to recite the Family Pledge, then read Blessing and the Ideal Family; Way of God's Will; and the three providentially important speeches: "View of the Principle of the Providential History of Salvation," "In Search of the Origin of the Universe" and "True Family and True Universe Centering on True Love."

Nov. 10, 1998: Hoon Dok Hae & Mobilization of Spirit World (Sun-myung Moon Speech - TParents,org)

QuoteIf you prepare your heart by reading God's word more than three times in order to conduct the Hoon Dok Hae, the spirit world will assist and inspire you. By so doing, you create the realm that reciprocates with the realm of heart in the spirit world. God will dwell in you to dominate all things around you. Once you go beyond the three levels of formation, growth and completion and of Old, New and Completion Testaments, the spirit world will assist you. 

In this world, no spirit world can be mobilized by any other words, but the words that I speak. The words Rev. Moon speaks are the words that I spoke while risking my life on the front line of the battle. These were the words that reflect the history of my showdown battle, separating and defeating Satan who has tried to snare and entrap me by any minor conditions I would have set in these showdown confrontations.

By listening to my words you can inherit the tradition of victorious battle against Satan through the
history of my real battles. Thus, all people who have ascended into the spirit world are very serious. They get really excited to listen to the words and to come down to the earth.

When you listen to my words at Hoon Dok Hae, you realize it is different from any another words.
Through these words, I overcame countless difficult persecutions; thus, the spirit world will indemnify
everything very quickly on earth centering on such a standard.

May 1, 1999: The Value of True Parents' Words Sun-myung Moon Speech)

Nov. 1, 1999: Spiritual Standard of Hoon Dok Hae (Sun-myung Moon Speech)

Feb. 1, 2002: Father's Hoon Dok Hae: A Message From Heung Jin Nim, Given Through Hoon Mo Nim (TParents.org)
Note: The above is a messsage from heaven. Heung-Jin died in 1982.

Oct. 1, 2007: Instructions For Pyunghwa Hoongyeong - Hoon Dok Hae at Cheon Jeong Gung
 (Sun-myung Moon - TParents.org)

QuoteAll members of the Unification Movement must do Hoon Dok Hae from five, before the sun rises. You must do Hoon Dok Hae even if it means skipping breakfast.

May 12, 2020: Lesson 10: Worship Service and Hoon Dok Hae in Faith Life


The ritual also involves bowing to a photo of Moon. I have read of this elsewhere, but here is an Google AI responce:

QuoteHoon Dok Hae (reading and studying the words of Sun Myung Moon and Hak Ja Han, known as True Parents) involves centering the practice before an official True Parents Photo.

Placement and Preparation of the Photo:
Place the official True Parents Photo on the left side of the room or chapel when looking toward the front/altar area from the entrance.Framing: Ensure the photograph is clean, properly printed from official guidelines, and set inside a respectful, well-cared-for frame.

Steps to Perform Hoon Dok Hae

Opening Bow (Kyung Bae): Begin the session by offering a respectful bow facing toward the True Parents Photo to honor God and True Parents.Family Pledge: Recite the Family Pledge standard if conducting a morning or formal service session.

Reading the Word:
Read aloud selections from True Parents' speeches, sermons, or autobiographical textbooks with a serious and attentive heart.Reflection and Sharing: Discuss or share brief testimonies, reflections, or understandings of the passages read.

Closing Prayer:
Conclude the gathering with a prayer of gratitude, centering on applying the messages learned to daily life.

Sept. 4: Movie About Shinzo Abe Assassination Reportedly in The Works (Sora News)

April 3: UC Followers Consider New Organization to Continue Practices (The Japan Times)

April 8: Ex-UC Members Plan New Entity for Donations (The Asahi Shimbun)

April 9: Dissolved But Not Gone: UC Reorganizes in Japan (Tokyo Weekender)

QuoteOn Wednesday, former executives of Japan's dissolved Unification Church reportedly established a new organization under the name Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU), led by former head Masaichi Hori....

In 2025, a district court in Tokyo ordered the church to disband after it was accused by the government of manipulating followers to make large donations. Last month, the Tokyo High Court upheld the decision, rejecting the organization's claim that the donations were part of legitimate religious activities. According to the presiding judge, Motoko Miki, the group caused financial losses in excess of ¥7.4 billion to 506 people.

"We are hearing our believers ask, 'I want to make donations, but what should I do?' We need a new organization to manage donations," a person affiliated with the church told The Asahi Shimbun. The comment suggests that continued demand from followers has driven the creation of a successor body despite legal setbacks. Journalist Eito Suzuki is concerned that "further harm could occur" as the organization collects donations. ...

April 22: Former UC Victims' Compensation Claims to be Accepted From May (NHK News)

April 23: At Least 40 Billion Yen Secured in UC Liquidation (The Japan Times)

May 21: UC Liquidator Begins Accepting Claims (The Japan Times)

QuoteEligible claimants include followers and former followers of the group, formally called the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, their family members, such as children, and heirs of deceased followers.

The liquidator will verify whether the claimants made large donations or purchases of goods sold by the Unification Church by checking bank books, receipts, audio recordings and other submitted material. It has yet to be determined whether the liquidator will accept claims in cases where the statute of limitations has expired. The timing of payments is also undecided.

June 23: Japan Supreme Court upholds order to disband former UC (NHK News)

June 25: Top Court Decision Against UC in Japan Came as 'Unavoidable' Measure (The Mainichi)

QuoteWhile acknowledging the importance of freedom of religion, the court concluded that there were limits to how much weight this could be given considering the enormous harm caused by the group's fundraising and solicitation activities. ...

The high court found that the group's leaders, including its president, had implicitly tolerated illegal donation solicitations by followers and others. It determined that over roughly 40 years beginning in 1973, damages confirmed through civil court judgments and settlements amounted to approximately 7.4 billion yen (about $45.81 million at today's rate), affecting 506 victims. The court noted that harm continued even after the Unification Church issued a compliance declaration in 2009 to prevent the illegal solicitation of donations, causing many people to suffer asset losses and considerable mental suffering. It added that the organization failed to implement effective measures to prevent further harm.

June 30: The UC Dissolution Ruling in Japan Solves Nothing by Itself (Mainichi)

March 7: Japan Accelerates UC Dissolution Process (Seoul Economic Daily)

QuoteThis marks Japan's third dissolution of a religious corporation under the Religious Corporations Act, following Aum Shinrikyo (1995), which carried out the Tokyo subway sarin gas attack, and Myokakuji (2002), which orchestrated a large-scale cash fraud scheme. Unlike the previous two cases involving criminal matters, the Unification Church is the first to have illegal conduct recognized under civil law.

However, the court's dissolution order does not mean the immediate and complete elimination of the organization. In Japan, dissolving a religious corporation strips its legal status and tax benefits, but activities as a voluntary organization remain possible. Given the church's accumulated financial resources through various businesses and organizational activities, some suggest it may continue operating under a different name or structure.

Growing negative public perception of the Unification Church throughout Japanese society is considered a variable. Public opinion has soured as the church's ties to political circles have been intensively exposed since the Abe incident. Experts project that even if the church continues activities in Japan under a different [/pre]form, its scale will likely diminish given the current atmosphere.

March 9: UC Files Special Appeal to Japan's Top Court on Dissolution (Kyodo News)

QuoteThe UC on Monday filed a special appeal with Japan's top court against a high court ruling ordering its dissolution. ...

This is the first case in Japan in which a religious group has been ordered to dissolve over violations of the Civil Code. It is the third dissolution order issued for violations of laws and regulations, following two cases based on criminal violations including that of the AUM Shinrikyo doomsday cult, which carried out the deadly 1995 nerve gas attack on the Tokyo subway system.

March 9: Ex-Minister Admits Lobbying for UC's Name Change (The Asahi Shimbun)

QuoteA former Cabinet minister has admitted to lobbying in support of the Unification Church's controversial 2015 name change, telling The Asahi Shimbun he acted because the group had provided him with crucial election support.

Yoshiaki Harada, 81, a former environment minister and Lower House member for the Liberal Democratic Party, justified his intervention by saying it was "natural for a politician to respond" to petitions from those who had helped them. ...

The church's efforts to rebrand itself began much earlier. In 1997, it consulted the Agency for Cultural Affairs about a name change, but the request was denied on the grounds that it "would help conceal the group's true identity," according to a former senior education ministry official. ...

The revelation of an alleged internal church document, the "TM Special Report," late last year shed new light on the group's political ties. The report, submitted to the church's president in South Korea, highlighted the Japanese leadership's success in cultivating relationships with LDP politicians.

It lauded Harada specifically, noting he "made a very large contribution" to the name change, and describing him as "really close to us, a person who always comes to our gatherings."

March 10: Former member Teddy Hose on Facebook refering to the aricle below his quote:

QuoteIt was not easy to read this as someone who grew up in the Unification Church. Especially being a kid going to school in Irvington, NY where the Moons lived, and always afraid the locals might find out I was in "that cult," my only refuge besides home was seeing friends at their houses or church properties.

I just hope current members and their children can develop trust and find grace in people outside the UC, who may help provide or connect them to available resources as a means of survival, in this time of heavy withdrawal. I am speaking from experience with my family recognizing the UC's abuse over time, and eventually stepping away.

Those first few years were a lot of helpless outreach to the larger society we were conditioned to view as the "fallen world." We had to retrain our hardwired brains that it was safe out there—a reality those of us born into the UC may always live with as a work in progress. But it does get better over time

March 10: Ex-UC Branches Closed, Followers Left Adrift (Asahi Shimbun)

QuoteThe church executive said of the procedure: "It was like a seizure notice, and the shock was immense. I've been coming to this church for decades. I felt as if all my memories were being negated." ...

"The church suddenly became unusable, and it feels like a part of my life has disappeared," said a female follower in her 40s from the Shimonoseki church. "Gathering and talking with fellow believers is part of our religion, and we are truly struggling." Another female follower in her 60s said tearfully, "As time goes by, the sadness of not being able to see everyone grows."

The church's dormitories, which primarily house followers in their teens and 20s who have moved to Tokyo, have also been targeted in the liquidation. With several dozen such dormitories nationwide, some residents are reportedly being forced to find new housing. ...

Guidelines from the Agency for Cultural Affairs issued last autumn anticipate a lengthy compensation process. The agency suggests allowing limited use of church facilities to soften the impact on religious activities. Ito said any such use would be conditional on the church adhering to strict rules that do not interfere with the procedures.

The National Network of Lawyers Against Spiritual Sales, which handles cases of large-scale donations to the church, insists that the church's "illegal activities need to be prevented." The group is concerned because the church has designated another religious corporation, Tenchi Seikyo in Obihiro, Hokkaido, to receive its remaining property upon dissolution. The lawyers' network warns that if the assets are transferred, there is a risk that "illegal donation solicitation activities" will continue.

March 6: 'Dangerous Precedent' for Religious Freedom: Critics Assail Tokyo Court's UC Ruling (Ben Wolfgamg and Andrew Salmon for The UC-Owned Washington Times)

QuoteReactions poured in from around the world in the hours after the ruling, which critics cast as an unprecedented legal step by the Japanese court. More important, they said, it could be the first domino to fall in an international crackdown on religious freedom.

"Unfortunately, this decision treads into territory that benefits opponents of a free society," former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement. "Having worked with Japan extensively on security and human rights matters ... I worry this precedent will harm Japan's standing as a champion of freedom in Asia and potentially advance the interests of those working against our mutual dedication to human dignity and religious freedom."

Related 1:
March 4, 2023: Trump, Pompeo Celebrate Group With UC Ties (The Asahi Shimbun)

QuoteFormer U.S. President Donald Trump sent a one-minute video message to an event in Seoul organized by a group related to the Unification Church. The Universal Peace Federation opened its "Peace Summit 2023" in the South Korean capital on May 2. The event will run until May 6. ... Mike Pompeo, who was secretary of state in the Trump administration, attended the event in person and gave a speech at the podium.

Related 2:
Oct. 26, 2023: UC-linked Group Paid Trump $2.5 mil. For Video Messages (The Mainichi Shimbun)

QuoteFormer U.S. President Donald Trump received some $2.5 million from the Universal Peace Federation (UPF), a Unification Church affiliated group, to make video appearances on three occasions between 2021 and 2022, while former Vice President Mike Pence was paid $550,000 for speaking at a UPF event, the Mainichi Shimbun has confirmed by acquiring U.S. official records and checking them with court documents in Japan.

Meanwhile, the UPF has maintained that the group didn't pay former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who made a video appearance at its event in September 2021. If this is true, we must question why Abe agreed to speak for the event free of charge. In the video, Abe said he "highly appreciated" the Unification Church, formally called the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, for its efforts to "place importance on the value of family." This video appearance is believed to have been one of the triggers for his assassination in July 2022.