Unification Church leader arrested in South Korea

SEOUL

The Unification Church leader was arrested Tuesday in South Korea over allegations of bribery linked to a former first lady, including luxury gifts, prosecutors said.

"The Seoul Central District Court issued the warrant on the ground she poses the risk of tampering with evidence," the prosecution said in a statement.

Han Hak-ja, 82, was questioned last week over her alleged role in bribing former first lady Kim Keon Hee and a prominent lawmaker. Prosecutors sought her arrest a day later.

After the warrant was issued, Han was remanded in custody at the Seoul Detention Center.

The Unification Church was founded in 1954 by Han's late husband Moon Sun-myung and has long been the subject of controversy.

Moon claimed to be the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, while the church has a cult-like culture and its followers are derisively referred to as "Moonies."

It has a vast reach, with businesses ranging from media and tourism to food distribution.

"We humbly accept the court's decision," the church said in a statement on the arrest.

"We will sincerely cooperate with the ongoing investigation and trial procedures to establish the truth, and we will do our utmost to take this as an opportunity to restore trust in our church," it added.

"We deeply apologize for causing concern."