The 73 year old Pastor Yoo Byung-eun, founder of Evangelical Baptist Church in South Korea, is now South Korea's most wanted man for allegedly playing a role in the ferry tragedy that left 300 people dead or missing in April.
The Incheon Court issued a warrant for his arrest on May 22. Authorities when they initially offered a nearly $50,000 reward for information leading to his arrest but now that reward stands at nearly $500,000 as they ramp up efforts to catch him.
South Korean officials believe Pastors Yoo...
owns the ship that went down on April 16, 2014, and his alleged corruption may have played a role in the tragedy, according to the Boston Globe.
On Wednesday about 9,000 police officers reportedly stormed the compound of the Evangelical Baptist Church in South Korea wearing helmets and armed with plastic shields in search of billionaire pastor and businessman Pastor Yoo Byung-eun.
Four members of the church who allegedly aided and abetted the billionaire pastor were detained by the police while another member was held for allegedly obstructing the raid.
Police explained in an Associated Press report that the large army of police was required due to the size of the church compound. South Korean Police.
"Police said the sheer size of the compound – about 30 football fields, including a fish farm, cow ranch and a 5,000-seat auditorium – required several thousand officers. Some were deployed outside the complex, the headquarters of the Evangelical Baptist Church, to block possible escape routes while a police helicopter hovered overhead on both days.
Dozens of prosecution investigators were also involved," noted the AP.
The AP pointed out additionally that police were concerned about clashing with church members. A number of them had threatened to die like martyrs in refusing to allow police on the compound in May.
On Wednesday, about 200 of them reportedly protested outside the compound singing hymns and chanting slogans of support.
"We'll protect Yoo Byung-eun even if 100,000 church members are all arrested,'' one banner said, according to the Boston Globe.
Yoo's daughter, Yoo Somena, was detained in Paris where she has lived since 2013, on May 27 and a French judge has refused to set her free. She is now facing extradition to South Korea.
Yoo, reportedly the leader of the now-defunct predecessor of the ferry's current operator, Chonghaejin, allegedly still controls the company through a complex web of holding companies in which his children and close associates are large shareholders, notes the Boston Globe.
Yoo's church has been branded a cult by some.
In 1987, 32 people were found dead in the attic of a factory near Seoul. The people were suspected to be a part of his church and authorities said their deaths were part of a collective murder suicide pact.
5 comments:
500,000 pounds for just one pastor. Na wa, where the man come go na
Ha, if i be member of the church, i will be tempted to tell them where the man of God dey o. Haaa, 500,000 pounds na big money.
Why is the man of God running now. Was it his fault the ship captzied. Anyway, may the soul of the 300 rest in peace.
I think this is the first time a man of God will be wanted with a price on his head. Did he do something wrong. He should appear and defend his name and God's name.
Why is he resisting arrest if he's not guilty and why is his members willing to die for a pastor that cannot come out and defend the name of God. Pls let him come out and tell the world he has nothing to hide. I'm just saying. Pls Tessy no delete my coment o.
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