Anchor: The prosecution and police are conducting a joint raid of the head office of the Jesus Morning Star(JMS) religious movement as part of their probe into allegations that JMS leader Jung Myung-seok sexually assaulted three female followers. Jung had recently made headlines following the release of a Netflix documentary.
Our Bae Joo-yon has more.

Report: The police of South Chungcheong Province sent some 120 officers to the worship and recreation center of Jesus Morning Star(JMS), also known as Providence or Christian Gospel Mission, on Thursday.

The prosecution, on its part, sent some 80 investigators to the center, called Wolmyeongdong, located in Geumsan County in South Chungcheong Province, which is considered to be the movement’s headquarters.

The raid comes after three South Korean female followers filed a complaint against Jung with the South Chungcheong Police in January, saying they were sexually assaulted and abused by Jung.

The JMS leader is currently on trial following his indictment on October 28 of last year for sexually abusing two foreign followers.

He is accused of sexually molesting and assaulting a follower from Hong Kong on 17 occasions between February 2018 and September 2021 while sexually molesting an Australian follower on five occasions from throughout the second half of 2018.

Jung is suspected of committing such crimes by brainwashing the victims into believing that he is the Messiah, but his supporters have dismissed the allegations, saying the victims were never brainwashed and the leader clearly conveyed to them that he is only human.

The latest trial comes after Jung was released from prison in February 2018 after serving ten years for sexually assaulting or molesting four JMS followers in their 20s in Malaysia, Hong Kong and Ansan, Gyeonggi Province between August 2001 and April 2006.

Jung has recently made headlines after Netflix released a docuseries on March 3 titled “In The Name of God: A Holy Betrayal,” which tells the true stories of four South Korean cult leaders claiming to be prophets, including Jung.
Bae Joo-yon, KBS World Radio News.