Statement of Support for HJI Founder, Hak Ja Han

HJ International Graduate School for Peace and Public Leadership

On October 10, Hak Ja Han, 82 years old co-founder of HJI, was formally indicted in her homeland of South Korea on charges of collusion in political lobbying, charges that have been denied.  A trial date has not been set.  The following statement of support represents the views of the Board of Trustees, the President, and the Faculty and Staff of HJI.

Hak Ja Han, at 32 years of age and shortly after moving to America together with her husband, founded the HJI, then known as Unification Theological Seminary, as an ecumenical, interfaith seminary, with faculty members representing Catholicism, Protestantism, Orthodoxy, and Judaism.  Without her dedication and generosity this school would not have flourished as it has, allowing students from across the world to succeed in building careers based on a high-quality graduate education. 

With her support, Mother Han, HJI was instrumental in establishing numerous ecumenical and interfaith organizations, beginning in the late 1970’s. These institutions which have enjoyed her unstinting support underscore the ecumenical and interreligious commitment that she and her husband affirmed.  

Moreover, recognizing religion as a universally valuable force for good in human societies, Mother Han has been a strong advocate for religious freedom, abhorring all forms of bigotry and persecution of religious minorities. Mother Han guides the work of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification International in more than 120 countries across the world.  

During this time of trial, we offer our full support to Mother Han, and we call upon the justice department in Korea to recognize her value as a Korean Patriot and global citizen dedicated to peace and the well-being of humanity.  We testify to her character as a person who lives for the sake of others.

Given her age and multiple health factors, her incarceration at this time in Korea is uncalled for, suggesting forces at play that belie standards of objectivity and neutrality. Such concerns are especially troubling at a time when the political misuse of justice departments in countries across the world, including in liberal democratic societies, has become commonplace, fed too often by political extremism, the polarization of party politics, and both intrareligious and interreligious bigotry, vices that Mother Han has spent her life combatting.  

With this in mind we offer our respectful appreciation, prayers and support to Mother Han at this time. A woman of her stature and character must, at a minimum, be assumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. With this in mind we call for her immediate release.