A former second-in-command at the Unification Church is denying reports that he admitted providing money and gifts to politicians.

At the political fund violation trial of main opposition People Power Party Rep. Kweon Seong-dong on Friday, Yun Young-ho told the court he is being widely misinterpreted in the media.

Yun told the court it is nonsensical to say he provided money and gifts to people he never met.

According to earlier reports, the former church official previously told the special counsel team in charge of the case against former first lady Kim Keon-hee that he had reached out to politicians on both sides of the political aisle and provided money and gifts in return for favors for the church.

When asked if he was coerced to make those statements during the special team’s interrogation, Yun denied giving any such testimony.
 
He said he refused to answer when asked if he’d given Kweon 100 million won, or around 68-thousand U.S. dollars, and said it would have been absurd to directly hand over money and gifts.