Rev. Moon and North Korea

At a time when we are dealing with a growing threat from North Korea, it's probably a good idea to take another look at the relationship between Reverend Moon and the maniacal dictator Kim Jung Il. The investigative reporter Robert Parry has long been following Moon's activities and in October of 2000 he published this report based on the findings of a Defense Intelligence Agency investigation. He reports:

Yet, in the 1990s when North Korea was scrambling for the resources to develop missiles and other advanced weaponry, Moon was among a small group of outside businessmen quietly investing in North Korea.

Moon's activities attracted the attention of the Defense Intelligence Agency, which is responsible for monitoring potential military threats to the United States.

Though historically an ardent anticommunist, Moon negotiated a business deal in 1991 with Kim Il Sung, the longtime communist leader, the DIA documents said.

The deal called for construction of a hotel complex in Pyongyang as well as a new Holy Land at the site of Moon's birth in North Korea, one document said. The DIA said the deal sprang from a face-to-face meeting between Moon and Kim Il Sung in North Korea from Nov. 30 to Dec. 8, 1991.

"These talks took place secretly, without the knowledge of the South Korean government," the DIA wrote on Feb. 2, 1994. "In the original deal with Kim [Il Sung], Moon paid several tens of million dollars as a down-payment into an overseas account," the DIA said in a cable dated Aug. 14, 1994.

The DIA said Moon's organization also delivered money to Kim Il Sung's son and successor, Kim Jong Il.

"In 1993, the Unification Church sold a piece of property located in Pennsylvania," the DIA reported on Sept. 9, 1994. "The profit on the sale, approximately $3 million was sent through a bank in China to the Hong Kong branch of the KS [South Korean] company 'Samsung Group.' The money was later presented to Kim Jung Il [Kim Jong Il] as a birthday present."

After Kim Il Sung's death in 1994 and his succession by his son, Kim Jong Il, Moon dispatched his longtime aide, Bo Hi Pak, to ensure that the business deals were still on track with Kim Jong Il "and his coterie," the DIA reported.

"If necessary, Moon authorized Pak to deposit a second payment for Kim Jong Il," the DIA wrote.

And that's just the beginning. This was not just passing a few million dollars around to buy favors, this was an enormous investment to prop up the North Korean economy:

According to the DIA, Moon's North Korean deal was ambitious and expensive.

"There was an agreement regarding economic cooperation for the reconstruction of KN's [North Korea's] economy which included establishment of a joint venture to develop tourism at Kimkangsan, KN [North Korea]; investment in the Tumangang River Development; and investment to construct the light industry base at Wonsan, KN. It is believed that during their meeting Mun [Moon] donated 450 billion yen to KN," one DIA report said.

In late 1991, the Japanese yen traded at about 130 yen to the U.S. dollar, meaning Moon's investment would have been about $3.5 billion, if the DIA information is correct.

North Korea is, of course, not the only nation that Moon has infiltrated. Moon has also been funneling an enormous amount of money into America to buy political influence. He has paid millions of dollars to high-ranking government officials for speaking fees, including millions personally to former President George H.W. Bush, who has returned the favor by praising Moon vociferously at events for Moon all over the world. The current Bush administration has also hired several Moon operatives, particular in the various "faith-based initiatives" they've been pushing. His ties in particular to conservative foundations and interest groups, including immensely popular evangelical Christian leaders like Tim Lahaye and Jerry Falwell, should raise some serious red flags. This influence-buying undoubtedly explains why there has been no criminal investigation of Moon's business dealings with North Korea. As Parry notes, it is against US law for virtually anyone with anything to do with the United States to do business with that nation:

"Nobody in the United States was supposed to be providing funding to anybody in North Korea, period, under the Treasury (Department's) sanction regime," said Jonathan Winer, former deputy assistant secretary of state handling international crime.

The U.S. embargo of North Korea dates back to the Korean War. With a few exceptions for humanitarian goods, the embargo barred trade and financial dealings between North Korea and "all U.S. citizens and permanent residents wherever they are located, ... and all branches, subsidiaries and controlled affiliates of U.S. organizations throughout the world."

Moon became a permanent resident of the United States in 1973, according to Justice Department records. Bo Hi Pak said Moon has kept his "green card" status. Though often in South Korea and South America, Moon maintains a residence near Tarrytown, north of New York City, and controls dozens of affiliated U.S. companies.

Not only has there been no criminal investigation of Moon, many of our Senators and Congressmen have praised Moon far and wide, and even held coronation ceremonies for him on Capitol Hill. They include Charles Rangel, Danny Davis, Curt Weldon and John Warner. It's time to hold our government accountable for their ties to this man.