Shincheonji

Shincheonji Politics: HWPL, the PPP Case and Lee’s Trial

Short answer: Shincheonji reaches politicians mainly through HWPL, the peace group chaired by its founder Lee Man-hee, and the affiliated IWPG and IPYG, which host summits, sign agreements with officials and run school programs, often without naming the church. In 2026 its political activity became a criminal case: Lee was arrested on 24 June and indicted under South Korea’s Political Parties Act, with prosecutors alleging that at least 56,472 members were enrolled in the People Power Party between 2021 and 2024. He denies the charges, and his trial is under way in Seoul.

Shincheonji works through peace, youth and women’s organizations, chiefly HWPL, IPYG and IWPG, to reach political leaders, cities and the public. Their events and agreements often don’t name the church. These articles look at what was presented in public, what members were told, and what the record shows, starting with the 2014 WARP Summit in Seoul.

By Chris Vishoot, co-founder of Bible Vaccine Center and former Shincheonji memberPublished 8 Oct 2026Updated October 10, 2026Trial statusSources

Where things stand (October 2026)

Shincheonji’s political outreach is now the subject of a criminal case in South Korea. These are allegations, not findings; Lee Man-hee denies them.

24 Jun 2026: A Seoul Central District Court judge issued an arrest warrant for Lee, citing a risk that evidence would be destroyed (Yonhap (opens in new tab)).
29 Jun 2026: Lee was indicted in custody for violating the Political Parties Act and obstruction of business. Investigators allege at least 56,472 members were made to join the People Power Party between July 2021 and January 2024 to influence its 2022 presidential and 2024 general-election primaries (Yonhap (opens in new tab)). Prosecutors say branches ran the drive under names such as the “Pilates Project” (Yonhap, Korean (opens in new tab)).
13 Jul 2026: A further indictment named Lee and seven current and former Shincheonji executives (Yonhap (opens in new tab)).
24 Jul 2026: Lee, a former business-division head and Shincheonji itself were indicted over alleged evasion of 7.57 billion won in corporate and value-added taxes from 2016 to 2020 (Asia Business Daily (opens in new tab)).
31 Aug 2026: The joint police-prosecution team closed its probe. It also charged a Shincheonji official over the alleged enrollment of about 30 members in the Democratic Party to sway a Goyang mayoral primary (The Korea Herald (opens in new tab); The Herald Business (opens in new tab)).
21 Sep 2026: At the first formal hearing, Lee appeared in a wheelchair; his lawyers denied all charges, and the court asked for an assessment of his cognitive ability (Asia Business Daily (opens in new tab); Etoday (opens in new tab)).
6 Oct 2026: At a preparatory hearing, which Lee did not attend, about 190 witnesses were expected; the court said that even weekly sessions could take a year. His lawyers said cognitive impairment was “almost certain” and asked for bail. The next preparatory hearing is set for 20 Oct, with full hearings planned from 2 Nov, subject to whether the court merges the two cases (Edaily (opens in new tab)).
7 Oct 2026: The court extended the suspension of Lee’s detention, a temporary release on health grounds, to 6 p.m. on 6 Nov (Newsis (opens in new tab)).

Checked 10 Oct 2026; we found no new court rulings reported after 7 Oct. Korean-language reports are summarized in our own translation. For HWPL’s ties to officials outside Korea, see HWPL’s political connections, tagged by evidence.

Key terms

HWPL: Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light, a peace NGO registered with the Seoul Metropolitan Government and chaired by Lee Man-hee. From: Political Connections
Shincheonji (SCJ): Shincheonji Church of Jesus the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony, a church based in South Korea and founded by Lee Man-hee in 1984. Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs uses the short form “SCJ.” From: Political Connections
DPCW: Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War, HWPL’s peace declaration, proclaimed on 14 March 2016. HWPL says it is working for its adoption at the international level. From: Political Connections
IWPG: International Women’s Peace Group, listed in the UN’s NGO database as “International Women’s Peace Group Corporation,” with its headquarters in Seoul. From: UN article
IPYG: International Peace Youth Group, which HWPL’s own site describes as “a youth organization affiliated under” HWPL. From: UN article
ECOSOC: The UN Economic and Social Council. It grants NGOs consultative status in three categories: general, special and roster. From: UN article

The series: HWPL’s officials, the WARP Summit, Mindanao, schools and the UN

Explainer · Officials and institutions

HWPL’s Political Connections: Who Took Part, and What the Record Shows

Which mayors, legislators, institutions and UN bodies have worked with HWPL, what each one did, and which claims rest only on HWPL’s own word.

25 min read76 sources Updated Oct 2026
Explainer · 2014 WARP Summit

The 2014 WARP Summit: What Guests Were Told, and What Members Were Taught

What foreign guests were told about HWPL’s 2014 peace summit in Seoul, what Shincheonji members were taught it meant, and what reporting at the time said about efforts to keep the church’s role out of view.

12 min read22 sources Updated Oct 2026
Explainer · Mindanao, 2014

The Mindanao Peace Claim: What HWPL Says, and What the Record Shows

What HWPL and Shincheonji say about the 2014 Mindanao signing, how it is presented to members, and what the record of the Philippine peace process shows.

12 min read22 sources Updated Oct 2026
Explainer · Schools and a world map

HWPL Peace Education in Schools: What the Sources Show

Which schools, universities and education offices are linked to HWPL’s peace education course, on a world map, with what each source actually shows.

17 min read89 sources Updated Oct 2026
Explainer · United Nations

HWPL, IWPG and IPYG at the United Nations: What the Record Shows

What HWPL, IWPG and IPYG actually have at the United Nations, what “Taken Note” means, and what the UN has not endorsed.

9 min read11 sources Updated Oct 2026

Frequently asked questions about Shincheonji and politics

How does Shincheonji get involved in politics?

Mainly through HWPL, the peace organization chaired by founder Lee Man-hee, and two groups that work alongside it, IWPG and IPYG. They hold peace summits such as the 2014 WARP Summit in Seoul, sign agreements with mayors, councils and legislators, and run a peace education course in schools. Their events and agreements often don’t name the church. Inside Korea, prosecutors now allege the church also enrolled members in a political party (see where things stand).

What is Lee Man-hee charged with?

Violating the Political Parties Act and obstruction of business, over the alleged forced enrollment of members in the People Power Party between 2021 and 2024 (indicted 29 Jun and 13 Jul 2026), and separately aggravated tax evasion of 7.57 billion won from 2016 to 2020 (indicted 24 Jul 2026). Sources: Yonhap (opens in new tab), Asia Business Daily (opens in new tab).

How many Shincheonji members allegedly joined the People Power Party?

Investigators allege at least 56,472 members joined between July 2021 and January 2024, and say branches were given enrollment targets that were checked (The Korea Herald (opens in new tab)). These are allegations; the court has not ruled.

Has Lee Man-hee been convicted?

No. As of 10 Oct 2026 his trial is at an early stage. His lawyers denied all charges at the first hearing on 21 Sep 2026. A preparatory hearing is set for 20 Oct, and full hearings are planned from 2 Nov (Edaily (opens in new tab)). He is on a temporary, health-based release until 6 Nov (Newsis (opens in new tab)).

Is HWPL part of Shincheonji?

HWPL presents itself as an independent peace NGO, but it is chaired by Shincheonji’s founder, Lee Man-hee. Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs said in 2020 that it believed HWPL “was going to be used as a front for SCJ,” and reporting on the 2014 WARP Summit described efforts to keep the church’s role out of view. Details and sources: HWPL’s political connections and the WARP Summit article.

Does HWPL have UN status?

HWPL has held ECOSOC special consultative status since 2017, and IWPG since 2018, according to the UN’s NGO database. That status is not a UN endorsement, and HWPL’s peace declaration (the DPCW) is not a UN document. See what the UN record shows about HWPL, IWPG and IPYG.

Did Lee Man-hee bring peace to Mindanao?

HWPL hosted a civilian signing in General Santos City on 24 January 2014, but neither signer represented the Philippine government or the MILF, and we found no government or peace-panel record crediting HWPL with their agreement. A September 2026 feature in Shincheonji’s own paper said the sequence of events alone does not prove the link. See the Mindanao peace claim, checked against the record.

What should I do if someone I love is in Shincheonji?

Keep the relationship warm and avoid sending articles as arguments. Our guide to leaving Shincheonji covers practical steps, and you can talk with our peer-support team. Peer-led, non-clinical support; in a crisis in the US, call or text 988.

Sources for the status box and FAQ

Disclosure: Bible Vaccine Center and Closer Look Initiative are run by the same team.

Peer-led, non-clinical support; not a substitute for professional care. In a crisis in the US, call or text 988.