The Coordination des Associations et Particuliers pour la Liberté de Conscience (CAP LC), an international NGO with special consultative status at the U.N. Economic and Social Council, has submitted a joint written statement to the U.N. Human Rights Council expressing concern over the spread of discrimination and stigma against members of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the church announced on July 9.
In the statement, CAP LC focused on the standards by which such matters are assessed, warning that negative perceptions and unverified materials originating in South Korea, if disseminated abroad, could impact public opinion and administrative and judicial decisions in other countries. The group urged governments to base any decisions concerning Shincheonji Church of Jesus on verifiable evidence and clear legal standards.
The statement cited specific cases in the United Kingdom and German-speaking countries. In the UK, the Charity Commission rejected Shincheonji Church of Jesus' application for registration, describing the church as a "cult," a term whose legal definition remains unclear. CAP LC pointed out that using such terminology without a clear legal basis in official administrative procedures can produce strong social stigma. In Germany and other German-speaking countries, members have faced workplace discrimination driven by negative public sentiment fueled by media outlets and church figures. A critical book published in 2025 by evangelical activists was identified as a major factor deepening these discriminatory perceptions.
The statement also addressed controversy in South Korea over political participation. CAP LC criticized claims by some political forces that party membership of Shincheonji members amounts to "religion-politics collusion," arguing that political participation should not be treated as grounds for suspicion solely because individuals belong to a particular religion. The organization called on the South Korean government to uphold freedom of religion, the principle of non-discrimination, and state religious neutrality.
Amid these concerns, 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 according to due process and objective evidence, rather than social perceptions or political controversy.
The church also raised concerns about the necessity and proportionality of detention, noting that Lee, born in 1931 and now 95, is of advanced age, has cooperated with the investigation, and key materials have already been secured through searches and seizures.
Shincheonji Church of Jesus 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? The church said the issue goes beyond controversy over a particular religious group and serves as a measure of whether the rights of religious minorities are equally protected in domestic and international procedures. It said this is why the international community is watching the case — to determine whether legal grounds and the principles of due process are being consistently upheld.
Ultimately, the church said, how the case is resolved would serve as a test of the strength of social and institutional trust in the protection of religious minorities, beyond the matter of a single religious organization.
