CARIBPR WIRE, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. July 10, 2026: Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony, said on July 9 that the international human rights organization CAP LC, the Coordination des Associations et Particuliers pour la Liberté de Conscience, had submitted a joint written statement to the U.N. Human Rights Council expressing concern over the spread of discrimination and stigma against members of Shincheonji Church of Jesus.

Excerpt from a joint written statement submitted to the U.N. Human Rights Council with CAP LC’s participation / Source: U.N. Human Rights Council

Excerpt from a joint written statement submitted to the U.N. Human Rights Council with CAP LC’s participation / Source: U.N. Human Rights Council

In the statement, CAP LC focused less on the controversy surrounding Shincheonji Church of Jesus itself than on the standards by which such matters are assessed. The group expressed concern that negative perceptions and unverified materials formed in South Korea, if disseminated abroad, could have a serious impact not only on public opinion in other countries but also on administrative and judicial decisions.

CAP LC therefore urged governments to base any decisions concerning Shincheonji Church of Jesus on verifiable evidence and clear legal standards.

Shincheonji Church of Jesus said the statement showed that if unfounded stigma were allowed to gain international acceptance, other religious minorities could also be judged in the same manner, underscoring the responsibility of states to protect the rights of all religious minorities.

CAP LC, which holds special consultative status with the U.N. Economic and Social Council, or ECOSOC, is an international NGO that has consistently raised internationally watched cases involving religious freedom. It has previously brought before the United Nations issues including the persecution of the Church of Almighty God in China and concerns over violations of religious freedom stemming from the Japanese government’s request for a dissolution order against the Unification Church, formally known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification.

Shincheonji Church of Jesus said the fact that such an international NGO had issued a statement on the matter demonstrated that the case involving the church was not merely a domestic controversy in South Korea, but one that was also drawing attention in light of international human rights standards.

Stigma Without Evidence: Cases Across Countries Point to Social Discrimination

The statement cited cases in the United Kingdom and German-speaking countries, saying that negative perceptions of Shincheonji Church of Jesus members had gone beyond public opinion and led to administrative proceedings and interference with individuals’ social lives.

In the United Kingdom, the Charity Commission rejected Shincheonji Church of Jesus’ application for registration, describing the church as a “cult,” a term whose legal definition remains unclear. CAP LC pointed out that the use of such terms without a clear legal basis in official administrative procedures can produce a strong social stigma.

In Germany and other German-speaking countries, cases have been reported of members facing workplace discrimination amid negative public sentiment driven by certain media outlets and church figures. CAP LC said a critical book published in 2025 by evangelical activists was a major factor in deepening such discriminatory perceptions.

Shincheonji Church of Jesus said such cases were not limited to isolated instances of harm identified in some countries. It said unfounded stigma and unverified claims were causing disadvantages for individual members in their workplaces, families and broader social lives, and called for administrative and judicial decisions in each country to be based on clear legal standards and verifiable evidence.

Rights Concerns Raised Over Detention of Elderly Leader Amid Party Membership Probe

The statement also shed light on controversy in South Korea over political participation. CAP LC criticized claims by some political forces that the party membership of Shincheonji Church of Jesus members amounted to “religion-politics collusion,” saying that political participation should not be treated as grounds for suspicion solely because those involved are members of a particular religion.

On that basis, CAP LC called on the South Korean government to uphold freedom of religion, the principle of non-discrimination and the state’s religious neutrality.

Amid these concerns, South Korea is conducting an investigation into allegations related to church members’ party membership. On June 24, a court issued an arrest warrant for Chairman Lee Man-hee, citing concerns including possible destruction of evidence. On June 29, the government joint investigation headquarters indicted Lee while in detention on charges including violations of the Political Parties Act.

While the final determination of the charges will be made through the trial process, Shincheonji Church of Jesus maintains that this case, too, should be handled in accordance with due process and objective evidence, rather than social perceptions or political controversy. The church said this position was also in line with the concerns raised in CAP LC’s statement.

The necessity and proportionality of detention during the investigation have also emerged as issues. Shincheonji Church of Jesus maintains that the necessity and proportionality of detention should be subject to stricter scrutiny, given that Lee, born in 1931 and now 95, is of advanced age, has actively cooperated with the investigation, and that key materials have already been secured through searches and seizures.

Shincheonji Church of Jesus said the cases of discrimination cited in CAP LC’s statement and the investigation in South Korea raised a common question: what standards should state judicial and administrative authorities apply when dealing with religious minorities?

The church said the issue went beyond controversy over a particular religious group and served as a measure of whether the rights of religious minorities are being equally protected in domestic and international procedures. It also said this was why the international community was watching the case — to determine whether legal grounds and the principles of due process are being consistently upheld in South Korea’s investigation and in administrative and judicial decisions in other countries.

Ultimately, the church said, how the case is resolved would serve as a test of the strength of social and institutional trust in the protection of religious minorities, beyond the matter of a single religious organization.

ABOUT SCJ

SCJ is an abbreviation for Shincheonji. SCJ TV is the official broadcasting channel of Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony. As a global media platform featuring worship, Bible education, teaching, and cultural content, SCJ TV aims to make its Bible-based teachings accessible to audiences worldwide, transcending geographical and linguistic boundaries.

Website : https://www.shincheonji.org/en

Contact: press@scjtvglobal.com

• A 95-Year-Old Behind Bars on Political Party Charges Involving No Violence
• Senior Official Publicly Quotes Scripture to Condemn a Religious Minority
• Detention Alleged to Violate UN Mandela Rules and WGAD Principles

Chairman Lee Man-hee, 95, was taken into custody on June 24 on political party charges involving no violence - drawing sharp condemnation from international religious freedom organizations.

CARIBPR WIRE, SEOUL, South Korea, Mon. July 6, 2026: International criticism is mounting over the detention and prosecution of Chairman Lee Man-hee, the 95-year-old leader of Shincheonji Church of Jesus, and over recent public remarks by South Korea’s Minister of Justice, Jeong Seong-ho.

On June 30, Minister Jeong announced on his social media account that Chairman Lee had been indicted while in detention, writing that “strict criminal punishment corresponding to its responsibility is inevitable.” He closed the post by quoting Matthew 7:15: “Beware of false prophets.” Shincheonji Church of Jesus is a Christian denomination founded in South Korea in 1984.

Justice Minister Jeong Seong-ho posted "strict criminal punishment is inevitable" on the day of indictment, closing with Matthew 7:15. Dr. Introvigne called it prejudging the outcome before trial.

Dr. Massimo Introvigne, an Italian sociologist of religion, has published two articles in the religious-freedom and human-rights outlet Bitter Winter addressing this situation: the first on June 24, 2026, criticizing the detention of Chairman Lee at the time of his arrest; and a second on July 2, 2026, raising detailed criticism of Minister Jeong’s public remarks.

■ Detention of the 95-Year-Old Chairman: ‘Jailing an Elderly Religious Leader Violates International Standards’

Chairman Lee was taken into custody on June 24 on charges including violation of the Political Parties Act, and was formally indicted while still in detention on June 30. Investigators allege that between July 2021 and January 2024, Lee organized the enrollment of roughly 50,000 Shincheonji members into the People Power Party (PPP) in an effort to influence the party’s presidential and parliamentary primaries.

Dr. Introvigne argued that placing an elderly religious leader in detention over a case that does not involve violence or other serious crimes falls short of the proportionality standards required under the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the “Mandela Rules”) and the principles articulated by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.

Sociologist Dr. Massimo Introvigne, writing in Bitter Winter, described the situation as "a stain on South Korea's democratic credentials."

He linked the case to that of Han Hak-ja, the 83-year-old leader of the Unification Church (the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification), who was being held in a separate case, warning that “this is not an issue confined to a single religious group — a pattern is emerging in which physical detention is repeatedly used against elderly religious leaders.”

Immediately after the detention, Shincheonji Church of Jesus responded that “Chairman Lee and the church have fully cooperated with every stage of the investigation, including the search and seizure operations,” calling the detention “in effect a physical punishment imposed on a 95-year-old suspect.”

■ Justice Minister’s Public Remarks Targeting a Specific Religion: ‘A Conflict With State Neutrality’

What Dr. Introvigne found particularly troubling was the timing of Minister Jeong’s statement. Jeong made his public call for “strict criminal punishment” on the very day Chairman Lee was formally indicted while in detention. Introvigne noted that when the official who oversees the justice and prosecution system publicly declares the need for punishment just as a case is beginning, it risks being seen as prejudging the outcome.

Dr. Introvigne also pointed out that a public official’s use of a Bible verse that could cast the defendant in a negative light may conflict with the state’s principle of religious neutrality. Because a sitting Minister of Justice’s public statements are likely to be read as more than personal opinion — effectively as the government’s official position – he argued that such remarks warrant far greater caution.

■ The Central Issue Will Be Whether Coercion Occurred

The legal question at the heart of the case is not that members joined a political party, but whether they were coerced into doing so. Prosecutors say the evidence points to an organized, forced-enrollment campaign, while Shincheonji Church of Jesus maintains that members were not compelled by force or directive.

Dr. Introvigne predicted that the trial will hinge on what evidence and legal reasoning are used to prove coercion. He argued that “these charges risk criminalizing ordinary civic participation simply because the individuals belong to a religious minority,” adding that “Shincheonji members, like any other South Korean citizens, have the right to join a political party and support a candidate.”

■ “A Stain on South Korea’s Democratic Credentials”

South Korea's detention of religious leaders has become a test case for international religious freedom standards.

Dr. Introvigne said the case is being closely watched in international religious-freedom circles not simply as a question of guilt or innocence for one religious group, but as a test of “whether a democratic state applies the same standards of rule of law and human rights to religious groups that are controversial or classified as minorities.”

If statements by senior government officials appear to influence judicial independence, a defendant’s right to a defense, or the political freedom of believers, the damage extends beyond the fairness of a single case — it can undermine confidence in the state’s commitment to the rule of law and human rights. A genuine democracy, he said, must guarantee the same procedures and rights to minority groups as to everyone else.

Dr. Introvigne described the situation as “a stain on South Korea’s democratic credentials” and said it is “a matter the world should pay attention to.”

ABOUT SCJ

SCJ is an abbreviation for Shincheonji. SCJ TV is the official broadcasting channel of Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony. As a global media platform featuring worship, Bible education, teaching, and cultural content, SCJ TV aims to make its Bible-based teachings accessible to audiences worldwide, transcending geographical and linguistic boundaries.

For more : https://www.shincheonji.org/en

Contact: press@scjtvglobal.com

CARIBPR WIRE, SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA, Thurs. July 24, 2025: The Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony, (Chairman Man-Hee Lee, hereinafter referred to as Shincheonji Church of Jesus), Taekwondo team once again proved its skills on the international stage, with each member winning medals at the 2025 Park Chung-hee Cup International Open Taekwondo Competition.

The Shincheonji Church of Jesus Church Taekwondo team participating in the 2025 Park Chung-hee Cup International Open Taekwondo Competition is taking a commemorative photo. This competition is an international Taekwondo competition held at the Sangju Indoor Gymnasium in Gyeongbuk from the 18th to the 21st.

The 2025 Park Chung-hee Cup International Open Taekwondo Competition was hosted by the Park Chung-hee Cup Organizing Committee and co-hosted by the Gyeongbuk Taekwondo Association and Sangju City Taekwondo Association. Approximately 4,200 athletes from 18 countries around the world, including Korea, the United States, and France, participated in a heated competition at the Sangju Indoor Gymnasium from the 18th to the 21st. The competition consisted of various events such as comprehensive competition, breaking, forms, kicking, and actual sparring, and evaluated the skills of the participants in a three-dimensional manner.

On the 19th, Shincheonji Church of Jesus Church Taekwondo team member Bae Do-won is demonstrating a Poomsae in the official Poomsae individual event at the 2025 Park Chung-hee Cup International Open Taekwondo Competition held at the Sangju Indoor Gymnasium in Gyeongbuk.

The Shincheonji Taekwondo team had a total of 25 players compete in the official individual competition held on the 19th, and despite the short preparation period, they showed off their dazzling skills through focused training and persistent effort. As a result, the team achieved the feat of winning 4 gold medals, 7 silver medals, and 14 bronze medals, with each member winning an award.

Notably, this competition received attention as an opportunity to raise the cultural and diplomatic status of the Republic of Korea. The performance at the international competition held in Korea, the home of Taekwondo, was assessed as leaving a strong impression on domestic and international participants.

On the 19th, Shincheonji Church of Jesus Church Taekwondo team member Jeong Jun-yong, who participated in the 2025 Park Chung-hee Cup International Open Taekwondo Competition held at the Sangju Indoor Gymnasium in Gyeongbuk, is demonstrating his Poomsae in the individual official Poomsae event. This competition is an international Taekwondo competition held in Sangju, Gyeongbuk from the 18th to the 21st.

Lee Jun-wi, who won the gold medal, said, “Although I didn’t have enough training time, I put in effort to focus as much as possible within the given time,” and added, “I am grateful that the efforts led to good results.”

National team coach Kim Deok-hoon said, “As this is an international competition, many excellent athletes both domestic and abroad participated and competed at a high level,” and added, “I am proud that the players demonstrated their skills without wavering. Based on this competition, we will systematically prepare a training system and strategy so that we can have more players and improved skills next year.”

On the 19th, Shincheonji Church of Jesus Church Taekwondo team member Lim Chang-hyun, who participated in the ‘2025 Park Chung-hee Cup International Open Taekwondo Competition’ held at the Sangju Indoor Gymnasium in Gyeongbuk, is demonstrating his Poomsae in the individual official Poomsae event. This competition is an international Taekwondo competition held in Sangju, Gyeongbuk from the 18th to the 21st.

The Shincheonji Taekwondo team achieved outstanding results not only at the Park Chung-hee Cup but also at the 2025 Kim Un-yong Cup International Open Taekwondo Competition held in Busan earlier this month, where all participants won awards. There, 12 participants participated, including 2 first place, 4 second place, and 5 third place, continuing their record of consecutive awards in international competitions.

In addition, the team has been achieving excellent results in domestic and international competitions every year, such as having 5 out of 18 players place in the 2024 Mungyeong World Taekwondo Hanmadang held last year.

The Shincheonji team has established itself as a team that possesses both skill and stable team management. Shincheonji Church of Jesus is actively engaged in cultivating talent and healthy community activities in various fields such as sports, culture, and art as well as religious beliefs, and plans to continue to achieve a healthy life and social contribution through sports in the future.

Chairman Lee Man-hee held a moving Bible Seminar on November 23, 2024.

As the seminar began, it was explained how rapidly Shincheonji Church is growing. Each year, Shincheonji Church holds a graduation ceremony for its international theology school, which consistently graduates more than 100,000 students each year. This is so groundbreaking, as no other theology school even comes close to having such a high rate of graduation. This year alone, a graduation ceremony was held for 111,628 students. These new graduates traveled to South Korea from all over the world to be able to attend this graduation ceremony in person, creating a truly amazing international event. One could clearly see the evidence that Shincheonji Church  is truly a people that God is with.

Further in the bible seminar, Chairman Lee spoke of his experiences with the atrocities of war that he saw as a veteran soldier from the front lines. He described how grateful he is that God saved him from a terrible fate and under the guidance of a star, he began a life of faith.

Because Chairman Lee himself said that he is not educated and comes from a very poor family, he felt he had nothing to give to repay God’s grace but his own life. Therefore, in blood and tears Chairman Lee promised to give his life to God. To fully offer oneself to be used for whatever purposes God desires – this is truly the sincerity of a humble man who wholeheartedly loves God and believes in His promises.

Chairman Lee shared how he felt that everything he experienced was of God and according to His promises. To understand the Bible was all Chairman Lee thought about, and he felt that there was really nothing else valuable about life or the life of a person beyond that.

Speaking to pastors in the audience, Chairman Lee called upon them to consider the prophecy and fulfillment within the Bible as seen in the Old and New Testament. Despite saying that he himself is nothing, he explained that he is compelled to testify to what he has experienced according to the book of Revelation.

Having been commanded to work after seeing and hearing many things from Jesus, Chairman Lee has done everything as he was instructed. One must consider what they would have done if faced with a similar situation. In this circumstance, one must accomplish what is asked of them, whether one lives or dies.

Each year, Shincheonji Church holds a graduation ceremony for its international theology school, which consistently graduates more than 100,000 students each year.

Chairman Lee entreated the audience to ask questions to confirm the truth if they do not understand the Bible, rather than blindly persecute Shincheonji Church. What is most important is the truth of God’s words, without any addition or subtraction. All people must verify the truth to understand who they are according to the Bible and what is fulfilling today. Chairman Lee said that he will clearly answer all questions asked of him, if only people do take the time to ask.

As Chairman Lee spoke of what has happened and what is yet to come, he asked the audience to genuinely seek after the truth instead of speaking slanderous words. After all, there is nothing more valuable than becoming someone who can correctly follow God’s word to the very end and receive eternal life.

Please see the full seminar recording here: https://youtu.be/1BVl2F08vTs

Shincheonji Seminar attendees 2024

Chairman Lee Man-hee speaks at the Shincheonji Seminar

In South Korea, 18,000 donors from Heavenly Culture, World Peace and Restoration of Light (HWPL) and Shincheonji Church of Jesus collaboratively donated blood during a two-week blood drive beginning April 18th. This joint blood drive was recorded as the largest single group blood donation in the country.

Namsun Cho, head of the Korean Red Cross Blood Services, said: “When the impact of the Omicron reached its peak, Shincheonji Church of Jesus launched a large scale of blood donation. It was like rain during a drought. We are surprised that the number of donors exceeded 6,000 in 3 days and more people participated. We appreciate their life-saving dedication.”

A donation of this magnitude is particularly impactful, as even a single blood donation can save up to three lives.

“They did a really great job in the life-sharing movement. This scale is equivalent to one army corps donating blood for a year. The number of blood donors is nearly four times the number in a normal day, a great help in overcoming the current blood supply crisis,” said an official from the Blood Services.

“We also appreciate the members of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus who participated in the nationwide plasma donation for the development of a treatment for COVID-19 back in 2020,” he added.

In South Korea, blood donation certificates are issued to blood donors that can be used for a reduced fee when paying for a future blood transfusion. All the donors of Shincheonji and HWPL gave their personal certificates to alleviate the financial burden of patients in need of a blood transfusion.

Efforts to aid in replenishing and protecting the blood supply were not limited to just South Korea, however. In Washington, DC, members of Shincheonji organized a blood drive to donate plasma and help accelerate the development of a cure for COVID-19. The campaign organized and actively participated in by the DC congregation of Shincheonji Church of Jesus included four mass blood and plasma drives. Drawing hundreds of donors, two of the blood and plasma drives were held at Children’s National Hospital and two were held at INOVA Hospital.

The heart of Shincheonji Church of Jesus is clearly shown in their dedication to continuing to help their surrounding communities despite their members having also suffered greatly during the pandemic. Aligned with the ideals of Shincheonji Church of Jesus, HWPL is carrying out long-term peace projects based on solidarity with civil society and international organizations in 193 countries. The priorities of both organizations make an ideal partnership as their members donate blood together, and this is evidenced by the impact of their joint effort.

EDITOR’S NOTE: A picture for use with this press release is available HERE