Unification Church foundation ousts founder’s son as chairman

Less than a year after the death of Moon Sun-myung, founder of the Unification Church, his widow, Han Hak-ja seems to have consolidated power at the organization. Han is referred to as the True Mother in the religious group with reportedly more than 3 million members and a number of successful business enterprises.

Tongil Foundation, the umbrella organization that controls Tongil Group with 12 affiliates and the Unification Church, on Sunday announced the appointment of Park No-hee as the chairman of the foundation. Park replaces Moon Kook-jin, the fourth son of founder Moon, who will step down as chairman. The group marked 1.9 trillion won in assets and 650 billion won in sales in 2011. Kook-jin will stay in the U.S. and will be in charge of Kahr Arms, an American carry-pistol maker. 

Park is the younger brother of Park Bo-hee, a close aide to Han and the late Moon.

“Park is a member of the Unification Church and has had experience in leading many related business projects and organizations,” the foundation said in a press release.

Kook-jin’s recent loss in a legal battle against his brother, Hyun-jin, the third son of the late Moon, in various business-related issues has dragged him down from the helm, according to local reports. Hyun-jin has reportedly been ousted from the family due to a feud with his father dating back 10 years and was not invited to his father’s funeral in September last year.

Han is also believed to have engineered the appointment of Yang Chang-shik, another close friend of hers, as the head of the Korean chapter of the Unification Church by allegedly relocating Moon Sun-myung’s seventh son, Hyung-jin, to the U.S. in January.

The Unification Church in February announced that it is reverting to the name, “Family Federation for World Peace and Unification,” from “Unification Church,” a change that was made by Hyung-jin in 2010.

By Bae Ji-sook (baejisook@heraldocpr.com)