South Korea’s Prime Minister has pledged a firm campaign against religious groups. Kim Min-seok specifically vowed to root out illegal political interference from such organizations. He made this significant declaration at a Monday news conference in Seoul. Furthermore, he identified this goal as a primary objective for his administration. Kim assumed the prime ministerial office just last July.
He explicitly connected this mission to his constitutional duties. The Prime Minister also promised to support key presidential administration tasks. Consequently, he will focus on several specific and sensitive internal issues. These include eradicating insurrection forces within the national armed forces. Additionally, he prioritizes completing long-discussed prosecutorial reform processes.
Moreover, his agenda involves preventing politically motivated terrorism acts. Importantly, he pledged to stamp out any religious political interference completely. He specifically cited the Shincheonji Church of Jesus as one example. This group currently faces serious allegations of violating election laws. Its leader allegedly instructed followers to join a conservative political party.
This strong statement followed a major diplomatic visit recently. Prime Minister Kim met US Vice President JD Vance two weeks earlier. In fact, Kim led the first such delegation in over four decades. He reportedly sought American understanding on several thorny bilateral issues. These sensitive topics included alleged religious suppression claims domestically.
Furthermore, discussions covered law enforcement actions against a US tech firm. South Korean authorities investigated a massive consumer data leak. This incident potentially affected over thirty-three million national users. According to Kim, Vice President Vance referenced a specific pastor’s case. That religious figure served a six-month detention for election violations.
The pastor mobilized followers for specific candidates in recent elections. Prime Minister Kim defended South Korea’s church-state separation principles. He explained investigations target alleged religion-political party collusion. Kim also drew a comparison to a recent Japanese court decision. Japan ordered the dissolution of the Unification Church last year.
Kim relayed Vance’s respect for South Korea’s judicial system approach. The leaders agreed such delicate matters require careful management. The Prime Minister also addressed new bilateral trade tensions directly. He highlighted establishing a direct hotline with the Vice President. This communication channel followed their Washington meeting in January.
However, US President Trump recently hinted at higher Korean goods tariffs. Kim asserted the hotline helped manage this unexpected development. He firmly rejected claims that the hotline failed its purpose. Similarly, he denied linking the tech firm probe to the tariff threat. The Prime Minister also dismissed swirling domestic political rumors.
He faced accusations of violating election law recently. Opponents cited a meeting with party members at his residence. Kim prioritized his current administrative success above all else. Therefore, he denied any plans to run for his party’s leadership. The upcoming August party convention will proceed without his candidacy. This focus underscores his commitment to governing duties first.
Ultimately, his conference reinforced a steadfast policy direction. The government will actively confront any religious political interference now. This stance carries significant domestic and international implications. Observers will monitor legal actions and diplomatic reactions closely. The Prime Minister’s tenure will likely face continued intense scrutiny.
