신천지, 민주당도 집단가입 정황…합수본 수사 착수 / 연합뉴스TV (YonhapnewsTV)

[Anchor] The joint investigation headquarters of the prosecution and police, which has been investigating allegations of Shincheonji's mass infiltration into the People Power Party, has launched an investigation after detecting indications that Shincheonji also joined the Democratic Party of Korea. The allegations concern the encouragement of membership ahead of the June 3 local elections. Reporter Han Chae-hee reports. [Reporter] The joint investigation headquarters of the prosecution and police has been investigating allegations of Shincheonji's mass infiltration into the People Power Party. They have launched an investigation after detecting indications that Shincheonji followers also joined the Democratic Party of Korea en masse. While investigating individuals on charges of "violating the Political Parties Act"—specifically, that Shincheonji leaders forcibly enrolled followers in the People Power Party—the headquarters secured statements and evidence indicating that they also encouraged membership in the Democratic Party. The headquarters is focusing on the fact that Shincheonji attempted to use buildings purchased in areas such as Gwacheon, Goyang, and Gapyeong in Gyeonggi Province as religious facilities in the past, but failed to obtain approval for a change of use due to opposition from residents. The suspicion is that Shincheonji may have pushed for membership in the Democratic Party last year ahead of the June 3 local elections in order to resolve these pending issues. It has been confirmed that while the Joint Investigation Headquarters (JIT) has indeed detected indications that they attempted to intervene in internal party primaries or elections to resolve local grievances, the statements secured at this stage are merely at the level of "encouraging membership," and the JIT is currently deliberating on whether to apply charges of "violating the Public Official Election Act." If there had been active coercion or forced collection of names during the party membership process, charges of "violating the Political Parties Act" could also be applied, but it is reported that no such statements have been confirmed yet. Furthermore, the JIT believes that no mass memberships occurred after the fact that Shincheonji could be subject to investigation became known following its launch last January. In addition, it is reported that while indications of membership were confirmed in some regions, the possibility that there were no instructions or intervention from Chairman Lee Man-hee has not been ruled out. The JIT also stated that it has not yet launched an investigation into the "Shincheonji intervention theory regarding the national convention" raised in political circles. Meanwhile, the Joint Investigation Headquarters has indicted General Chairman Lee Man-hee and a former General Business Director on charges of tax evasion under the Act on Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, and Shincheonji itself on charges of violating the Act on Punishment of Tax Crimes, in connection with the Shincheonji 'tax evasion' case. They are set to stand trial on charges of evading approximately 7.57 billion won in taxes between 2016 and 2020 by concealing profit-making businesses through stores in branches and churches under the names of believers and by maintaining double accounting records. This is Han Chae-hee from Yonhap News TV. [Video Editing: Kim Doi] [Graphics: Heo Jinyoung] [News Review] ▣ Subscribe to Yonhap News TV's Documentary Channel 'Docu-Digging'    / @docu-digging   ▣ Subscribe to Yonhap News TV YouTube Channel    / @yonhapnewstv23   ▣ The Beginning of Korean News: Yonhap News TV http://www.yonhapnewstv.co.kr/