An international human rights organization has taken the issue of discrimination against members of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus to the United Nations, warning that unfounded stigma originating in South Korea is spreading across borders and affecting the rights of religious minorities in other countries.
The Coordination des Associations et Particuliers pour la Liberté de Conscience (CAP LC), an NGO with special consultative status at the UN Economic and Social Council, submitted a joint written statement to the UN Human Rights Council on July 9, expressing concern over the spread of discrimination and stigma against Shincheonji members. The group urged governments to base any decisions concerning the church on verifiable evidence and clear legal standards.
CAP LC pointed to cases in the United Kingdom and German-speaking countries where negative perceptions have led to administrative proceedings and workplace discrimination. In the UK, the Charity Commission rejected Shincheonji's registration application, describing the church as a "cult" without a clear legal definition of the term. In Germany and other German-speaking countries, members have faced workplace discrimination amid negative public sentiment driven by certain media and church figures, with a 2025 book by evangelical activists cited as a major factor.
The statement also addressed controversy in South Korea over political participation by church members. CAP LC criticized claims that church members' party membership amounts to "religion-politics collusion," stating that 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 religious neutrality.
Amid these concerns, South Korea is investigating allegations related to church members' party membership. On June 24, a court issued an arrest warrant for Chairman Lee Man-hee, and on June 29, the government indicted him on charges including violations of the Political Parties Act. Shincheonji maintains that the case should be handled with due process and objective evidence, noting that Lee, born in 1931 and now 95, has cooperated with the investigation and that key materials have already been secured.
CAP LC has previously raised issues before the UN including the persecution of the Church of Almighty God in China and concerns over religious freedom violations related to the Japanese government's request for a dissolution order against the Unification Church. Shincheonji said the involvement of such an international NGO demonstrates that the case is not merely a domestic controversy but one drawing attention in light of international human rights standards.
The church emphasized that the cases of discrimination cited in CAP LC's statement and the investigation in South Korea raise a common question: what standards should state authorities apply when dealing with religious minorities? The church said the issue serves as a measure of whether the rights of religious minorities are equally protected in domestic and international procedures, and that how the case is resolved will test the strength of social and institutional trust in the protection of religious minorities.
For more information, visit Shincheonji Church of Jesus at https://www.shincheonji.org/en or SCJ TV at https://www.scjtvglobal.com.
