Tens of Thousands in the 'Pilates Operation': 5 Questions the Shincheonji Allegations of Swaying the PPP Primary and the Second Search Warrant Pose to Korea's Separation of Church and State

Why does this matter now? If Shincheonji's 'Pilates Operation' genuinely swayed the PPP's presidential and general election primaries, this is not merely a religious scandal — it strikes at the very foundation of electoral democracy.

TL;DR

• The joint police-prosecution investigation unit launched a second search and seizure of PPP headquarters at 2 PM on March 3
• The second attempt came roughly 4 days after the first try (February 27, 11-hour standoff) ended in withdrawal
• Shincheonji allegedly used a codenamed project called 'Pilates' to systematically enroll tens of thousands of church members as PPP registered members
• Investigations target interference in the 2022 20th presidential primary and 2024 22nd general election primary
• Chairman Lee Man-hee and former General Secretary Ko Dong-an were booked on charges of Political Parties Act violations and obstruction of business

The Facts: What Happened

Timeline of the Search and Seizure

The joint police-prosecution investigation unit (headed by Kim Tae-hoon, chief prosecutor of Daejeon High Prosecutors' Office) deployed prosecutors and investigators to the PPP's central headquarters in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul at 2 PM on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, launching the second search and seizure.

In the first attempt on Friday, February 27, PPP officials physically blocked investigators for 11 hours, forcing a withdrawal. The unit re-executed the warrant just 3 days later, this time including the outsourced server management company for the party membership registry among the search targets.

What Was the 'Pilates Operation'?

Key information obtained from testimony by former Shincheonji officials reveals:

• Under the codename 'Pilates', Shincheonji systematically encouraged church members to join the PPP as party members.
• Tens of thousands of members registered as PPP full-rights members.
• The goal was interference in internal primaries — to help pro-Shincheonji candidates win primaries.
• Target primaries: the 2021 PPP 20th presidential primary and the 2024 22nd general election primary.

Why Did This Surface Now?

1. Lee Jae-myung government's commitment to investigating religious-political ties: The police-prosecution under the Lee Jae-myung government, which launched in 2026, designated religious-political collusion as a core investigation priority
2. Internal testimony secured: Detailed accounts of the 'Pilates Operation' obtained through cooperation from former Shincheonji officials during investigation
3. Clear provisions in the Political Parties Act: Third parties who coerce or induce others to become party members can be prosecuted under the Political Parties Act
4. Significance of the second attempt: The renewed effort after the first withdrawal clearly signals the unit's determination to pursue this investigation

Stakeholders: Who Is Involved?

5 Key Questions

① Did this actually change primary results?

The central question is whether tens of thousands of registered members were enough in number to actually alter specific primary outcomes. The investigation unit plans to cross-reference the party membership registry with the Shincheonji member list to establish this figure.

② Is this a problem exclusive to Shincheonji?

There are suggestions that other large religious groups may have interfered in politics in similar ways. With similar controversies emerging around the Unification Church and Jehovah's Witnesses in Korea, the investigation could expand further.

③ What is the PPP's legal liability?

If the party was unaware of the mass enrollment, it is a victim — but if it knew and turned a blind eye, it could be considered an accomplice under the Political Parties Act. Whether this is the case may come to light once the investigation unit obtains the membership registry and examines internal reporting documents.

④ What was the chain of command for the 'Pilates Operation'?

Whether the chain of command extended all the way to the church's chairman is the central issue. If Chairman Lee Man-hee personally ordered it, the maximum sentence could apply.

⑤ Is legislation needed to enforce the separation of church and state?

Article 20 of the Constitution declares the separation of religion and politics, but specific penal provisions are scattered across the Political Parties Act, limiting their effectiveness. Whether this case will trigger discussion of a special law on church-state separation is worth watching.

Context and Background

The history of collusion between Korea's religious community and politics runs deep. Following the Unification Church's alliance with the conservative political sphere in the 1970s–80s and the controversy over large churches' electoral interference in the 2000s, the Shincheonji case is historically significant in that evidence of systematic, planned interference may reach a courtroom for the first time.

Shincheonji also drew domestic and international attention during the COVID-19 mass outbreak in 2020, and has since been under government investigative oversight. The investigation's fallout ahead of the June 3, 2026 local elections warrants close attention.

Outlook

• Short-term: The unit will obtain the membership registry and cross-reference it with the Shincheonji member list → determine whether to indict
• Medium-term: The PPP may attempt to invalidate the search via legal countermeasures (injunction to stay execution, etc.)
• Long-term: With the June 3 local elections approaching, the religious-political collusion controversy is expected to become a central point of contention between the ruling and opposition parties