A joint prosecution–police task force has raided seven locations as part of a probe into allegations of collusion between politicians and the Unification Church.

The task force began search-and-seizure operations at seven locations, including the church’s Cheon Jeong Gung complex in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, on Friday morning. 

The raid aims to secure evidence to help determine whether the church made illegal donations to political figures.

Earlier, Song Kwang-seok, former chair of the Universal Peace Federation(UPF), an affiliate of the Unification Church, was indicted and charged with donating 13 million won in UPF funds to the political fundraising committees of 11 lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition parties.

The eleven lawmakers, including Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun of the People Power Party, have been identified as recipients of the alleged illegal donations, prompting the task force to launch a compulsory investigation.

The task force also raided Unification Church facilities on Tuesday in connection with allegations that politicians had accepted money and gifts from the church.