Fiji cracks down on South Korean ‘cult’ accused of violent rituals, to deport top members

Grace Road Church had persuaded hundreds of followers to move to Fiji, where the movement bought swathes of land and started companies
Fiji says the crackdown comes after its previous government ignored Interpol’s calls to arrest the movement’s senior members

South Korea

Agence France-Presse

Published: 3:50pm, 7 Sep 2023

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High-ranking members of South Korea’s “Grace Road Cult” will be kicked out of Fiji, immigration authorities said on Thursday, as the government cracks down on the powerful religious sect.

Grace Road Church founder Shin Ok-ju prophesied that South Korea would be doomed by famine and disaster, persuading hundreds of followers in 2014 to start a new life in tropical Fiji.

The movement quickly established political and commercial clout in its new home, snapping up swathes of agricultural land and building a sprawling network of successful companies.

Fiji to deport members of South Korean 'cult'

But it was also dogged by claims of bizarre and violent rituals, with Shin sentenced to six years in prison by South Korean authorities in 2019 on a string of criminal charges.

Fiji Home Affairs Minister Pio Tikoduadua said Interpol had urged Fiji’s previous government to arrest senior members of the “Grace Road Cult” – but this request had been ignored for years.

“In July 2018, red notices were published by Interpol referring to these individuals as fugitives wanted for prosecution,” he told reporters.

“All of these were ignored by the former government.”

Tikoduadua said seven Grace Road members, including Shin’s son Daniel Kim, had been declared “prohibited immigrants” and would be sent back to South Korea.

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Two fugitive Grace Road members had so far evaded police and “remain at large”, Tikoduadua added.

A South Korean court in 2019 heard harrowing allegations about the experiences of former Grace Road Church members.

“The victims suffered helplessly from collective beatings and experienced not only physical torture but also severe fear and considerable mental shock,” according to a judgment by the Anyang sub-court of the Suwon District Court.

“Heavy punishment is inevitable against illegal acts carried out in the name of religion,” it added.

Suva, the capital city of Fiji. Members of Grace Road Church had bought swathes of land and started companies in the country. Photo: Shutterstock

Some former followers told journalists that those who attempted to leave the church were punished with severe public beatings known as “ground threshings”.

South Korea is home to a number of controversial sects that have attracted thousands of members in the country and overseas for many years.

Among them is the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, whose members at a branch accounted for more than half of the Covid-19 cases during the initial wave of the pandemic in South Korea. The assassination of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe had also put a spotlight on his connections to the Unification Church.

Additional reporting by Asia desk