International Rights Group Raises Concerns Over Discrimination Against Shincheonji Members

CAP LC, an international human rights organization with special consultative status at the U.N. Economic and Social Council, submitted a joint written statement to the U.N. Human Rights Council on July 9 expressing concern over the spread of discrimination and stigma against members of Shincheonji Church of Jesus. The statement, announced by Shincheonji Church on July 22, focused on the standards by which such matters are assessed, warning that negative perceptions and unverified materials formed in South Korea, if disseminated abroad, could impact public opinion and administrative or judicial decisions in other countries.

CAP LC urged governments to base any decisions concerning Shincheonji Church on verifiable evidence and clear legal standards. The organization, which has previously raised issues such as the persecution of the Church of Almighty God in China and concerns over Japan's dissolution order against the Unification Church, said the case involving Shincheonji is not merely a domestic controversy but one drawing attention under international human rights standards.

The statement cited 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," a term without a clear legal definition. In Germany and other German-speaking countries, members have faced workplace discrimination driven by certain media outlets and church figures, with a 2025 book by evangelical activists deepening such perceptions.

Shincheonji Church said these cases show that unfounded stigma is causing disadvantages for individual members in workplaces, families and social lives, calling for administrative and judicial decisions based on clear legal standards and verifiable evidence. More information on the church's position is available at https://www.shincheonji.org/en.

The statement also addressed controversy in South Korea over political participation, criticizing claims that church members' party membership amounts to "religion-politics collusion." CAP LC called on the South Korean government to uphold freedom of religion and the state's religious neutrality. Meanwhile, on June 24, a court issued an arrest warrant for Chairman Lee Man-hee, aged 95, citing concerns including possible destruction of evidence. On June 29, the government joint investigation headquarters indicted Lee on charges including violations of the Political Parties Act.

Shincheonji Church maintains that the case should be handled according to due process and objective evidence, not social perceptions. The church argues that the necessity and proportionality of detention should be scrutinized given Lee's advanced age and cooperation. 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 authorities apply when dealing with religious minorities? The church added that the international community is watching to see whether legal grounds and due process are consistently upheld.

SCJ TV, the official broadcasting channel of Shincheonji Church, provides Bible-based teachings and cultural content globally. More information is available at https://www.scjtvglobal.com.