Lay members of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU) (Unification Church) published a public apology statement in major daily newspapers following the first trial verdict.
According to the Blessed Family Association’s representative Sangsaeng Union and the FFWPU Lay Council on September 2, these groups stated in a declaration released the previous day: “Those who have done wrong must be strictly punished according to the law. We also hope for that.” They added, “We urge you not to deny the entire faith community solely because of these wrongdoings.” Emphasizing that most diocesan (church) buildings and the Cheongpyeong complex are jointly owned assets, they stressed that losing worship spaces would directly harm ordinary families, not the wrongdoers.
U Jong-chun, head of the Sangsaeng Union, said, “This apology is not to cover up the religious group’s wrongdoings or protect anyone. If there are wrongdoings, they must be thoroughly investigated, and those responsible must take accountability.” He added, “We gain nothing from this apology. We have no position to defend or abandon.”
Oh Joo-hee, head of the Lay Council, stated, “Regarding the first trial, our request was not to replace lawyers but to appoint additional ones. If there is only one channel for information to reach the general director, no decision can be verified.” She continued, “We hope those in responsible positions will make their own judgments and decisions before the public and believers.”
In the declaration, the two groups included eight self-purification demands: disclosure of donation and litigation costs, formalization of church-state separation in the bylaws, and establishment of an independent audit body involving lay members. They warned, “If these demands are ultimately rejected, we will inform the public through press conferences and rallies following legal procedures.”
The Lay Council revealed, “Since August of last year, we requested General Director Han Hak-ja to gather favorable evidence, but we received no written response from the religious group regarding any documents.” They detailed, “The requested actions—preliminary evidence collection, formation of an independent legal team, resolution of conflicts of interest, transparency in legal fee structures, supplementation of bail and health records, preemptive review of Japan’s dissolution case, and documentation of legal briefings—required minimal cost, posed no disadvantage to the general director, and could be verified in writing. However, no response was received.”
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