[ENG Trans.] Kim Nam-hee, who lived with the leader Lee Man-hee, was present as a witness for the trial

 Nov. 25, 2020 ENG translation 

Original Source: https://www.etoday.co.kr/news/view/1966143 (KOR) 

Reporter CBS No Cut News Oh Yo-seph

Registration Date: Nov. 25, 2020 21:00

[Anchor]

Kim Nam-hee, who was once called the second-in-command of Shincheonji and lived with the leader Lee Man-hee, was present as a witness for the trial of the leader Lee Man-hee.

Kim Nam-hee claimed that Gapyeong's Palace of Peace, where the two lived together, was registered as a training facility, but it was not for the purpose of the Shincheonji Training Center, but for the couple's married life, and that she witnessed in person that SCJ tribe leaders gave money to Lee Man-hee.

This is reporter Oh Yo-seph.

최근 건강 악화 등을 이유로 보석 석방된 이단 신천지 이만희 교주가 16일 오후 재판 출석을 위해 경기도 수원지방법원으로 들어서고 있다. 이한형기자 Lee Man-hee, the leader of Shincheonji, who was recently released on bail due to his deteriorating health, enters the Suwon District Court in Gyeonggi Province on the afternoon of the 16th to attend the trial. Reporter Lee Han-hyung

[Reporter]

Kim Nam-hee, who was once called the second-in-command of Shincheonji and lived with the leader Lee Man-hee, appeared as a witness at the owner's trial.

Kim Nam-hee appeared as a witness at the trial of Lee Man-hee at Suwon District Court No. 204 but no meeting between the two took place.

The leader Lee Man-hee appeared in court in a wheelchair, but Kim Nam-hee's testimony was made by video connection in another location.

Kim Nam-hee was the representative of the International Women's Peace Group (IWPG), an affiliated organization of Shincheonji, and was called the second-in-command of Shincheonji, as she was seen living with the leader Lee Man-hee at the Peace Palace in Gapyeong.

However, in 2017, the leader Lee Man-hee officially broke up by attacking Kim Nam-hee as a betrayer.

"The Gapyeong Peace Palace, which was built for the purpose of the Shincheonji Training Center, was actually a residential area for the couple's life," Kim Nam-hee said. "Even though the funds were used, there is no management and supervision of the General Assembly."

Lee Man-hee is accused of embezzling 5.6 billion won, including 5 billion won in Sincheonji funds, during the construction of Gapyeong 'Peace Palace'.

Kim explained, "I realized later that it was registered as the Shinchonji Training Center on the registration sheet," and added, "At the time, leader Lee said that registration as a religious facility would result in tax exemption."

Kim said, "He used believers to perform worship services to deceive the purpose of use into the training center. In fact, only three to four times a year have been used for the purpose of the Sincheonji event."

이단 신천지 이만희 교주가 2일 오후 경기도 가평군 청평면 고성리 평화연수원에서 열린 코로나19 관련 기자회견에서 취재진 질문을 전달 받고 있다. 이한형기자 Lee Man-hee, the leader of cult Shincheonji, is being asked questions from reporters at a press conference on Covid19 held at the Peace Palace in Goseong-ri, Cheongpyeong-myeon, Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do on the afternoon of the 2nd. Reporter Lee Han-hyung

Kim Nam-hee also stated that the leader Lee Man-hee frequently received large checks* and cash from the tribe leaders.

Kim said, "They could not meet the leader Lee Man-hee without money at the Sincheonji organization, a one-man dictatorship," and claimed, "I witnessed in person that the tribe leaders and other believers frequently gave checks and cash"

Kim said, "Leader Lee Man-hee deposited the money right away or kept it in his study drawer and home in Gwacheon," criticizing the leader as "a vampire sucking the blood of believers in Shincheonji."

Kim Nam-hee often spoke emotionally during the testimony, and the judge even stopped her by asking her not to speak emotionally, but to answer only the questions she was asked.

The prosecution also presented a book of memo by Lee Man-hee with the names and amounts of each tribe written on Korean Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, the birthday of the priest, and the teacher's day, as evidence.

The leader Lee's lawyer refuted the claim, citing the fact that the palace of peace is equipped with a grand auditorium and a reception room, and that Kim Nam-hee explained the purpose of the palace as an educational facility for Shincheonji in her past speeches.

Meanwhile, the leader Lee, who was present in court wearing a navy suit and waistband, wore headphones as if he could not hear well.

During the trial, he was seen writing something to his lawyers with a pen or smiling at the audience seat when he came back from the bathroom.

Outside the courtroom, families of the victims of Sinchonji held a rally to urge their runaway children to return home and punish the leader severely.

This is Oh Yo-seph from CBS News.

[Video coverage: Lee Jung-woo Choi Nae-ho] [Video editing: Seo Won-ik]

* Checks: this would be mostly cashier's checks, not personal checks. In Korea, cashier's checks are used a lot.