South Korean church’s ‘special force’ targets young Australians amid crackdown at home

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by SCMP’s Asia deskJanuary 16, 2026 at 09:54 AM

AI Summary

short article 1 min

The Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a controversial South Korean religious group, is expanding its recruitment efforts in Australia, specifically targeting young people. Facing potential disbandment in South Korea due to alleged religious-political collusion, the church is deploying "special force teams" to boost membership across Australia. The church, founded in 1984 by Lee Man-hee, who claims to be the second coming of Jesus Christ, has established branches in over 100 countries. According to reports, Shincheonji is compiling detailed profiles of potential members in Australia, focusing on hobbies, life goals, and personality traits to tailor recruitment strategies. Former members describe a rigorous and exhausting enrolment campaign.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Cassie 40% Melbourne 40% Victoria 40% Northern Territory 40% ABC ×250% South Korea ×270% Lee Man-hee ×280% Australia ×280% Shincheonji Church of Jesus ×490%

Keywords

shincheonji church of jesus 100% religious recruitment 80% south korea 70% australia 70% young people 60% controversial church 60% lee man-hee 50% religious-political collusion 50% fringe christian organisation 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Very Negative

Score: -0.60

Source Transparency

Source

South China Morning Post

Political Lean

Center-Right (0.50)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Australia

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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shincheonji church of jesus religious recruitment south korea australia young people controversial church lee man-hee religious-political collusion fringe christian organisation

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