An international human rights organization has taken the issue of discrimination against members of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus to the United Nations Human Rights Council, warning that unverified negative perceptions originating in South Korea are spilling across borders and influencing official actions in other countries.
The Coordination des Associations et Particuliers pour la Liberté de Conscience (CAP LC), which holds special consultative status with the U.N. Economic and Social Council, submitted a joint written statement on July 9 expressing concern over the spread of stigma against Shincheonji members. The group urged governments to base any decisions concerning the church on verifiable evidence and clear legal standards, rather than on unsubstantiated claims.
CAP LC’s statement cited specific cases in the United Kingdom and German-speaking countries. In the UK, the Charity Commission rejected Shincheonji’s application for registration, describing the church as a “cult”—a term that CAP LC noted lacks a clear legal definition but carries strong social stigma. In Germany and other German-speaking countries, members have faced workplace discrimination fueled by negative media coverage and a critical book published in 2025 by evangelical activists, the statement said.
Shincheonji Church of Jesus said the CAP LC statement demonstrated that the case was no longer a domestic controversy but an international human rights concern. “If unfounded stigma were allowed to gain international acceptance, other religious minorities could also be judged in the same manner,” the church said, underscoring the responsibility of states to protect the rights of all religious minorities.
CAP LC has previously raised issues at the United Nations including the persecution of the Church of Almighty God in China and concerns over religious freedom violations stemming from the Japanese government’s request for a dissolution order against the Unification Church, formally known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification.
The statement also addressed controversy in South Korea over political participation by Shincheonji members. CAP LC criticized claims by some political forces that party membership of church members amounted to “religion-politics collusion,” saying political participation should not be treated as grounds for suspicion solely because of religious affiliation. The group called on the South Korean government to uphold freedom of religion and the principle of non-discrimination.
Meanwhile, South Korea is conducting an investigation into allegations related to church members’ party membership. On June 24, a court issued an arrest warrant for Chairman Lee Man-hee, citing concerns including possible destruction of evidence. On June 29, the government joint investigation headquarters indicted Lee while in detention on charges including violations of the Political Parties Act. Shincheonji Church of Jesus maintains that the case should be handled in accordance with due process and objective evidence, rather than social perceptions or political controversy, a position it said aligns with the concerns raised in CAP LC’s statement.
The necessity and proportionality of detention have also emerged as issues, given that Lee, born in 1931, is 95 years old and has cooperated with the investigation. The church said the cases of discrimination cited in CAP LC’s statement and the investigation in South Korea raise a common question: what standards should state judicial and administrative authorities apply when dealing with religious minorities?
Shincheonji Church of Jesus said the issue goes beyond controversy over a particular religious group and serves as a measure of whether the rights of religious minorities are being equally protected. The church added that how the case is resolved will test the strength of social and institutional trust in the protection of religious minorities.
SCJ TV is the official broadcasting channel of Shincheonji Church of Jesus, offering Bible-based teachings and cultural content to global audiences.
