Fiji to deport members of South Korean 'cult'

Agence France-Presse

SUVA, Fiji — High-ranking members of South Korea&#x27;s &quot;Grace Road Cult&quot; will be kicked out of Fiji, immigration authorities said 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.But it was also dogged by claims of bizarre and violent rituals, with Shin being imprisoned by South Korean authorities in 2019 on a string of criminal charges.Fiji Home Affairs Minister Pio Tikoduadua said Interpol had urged Fiji&#x27;s previous government to arrest senior members of the &quot;Grace Road Cult&quot; -- but this request had been ignored for years.&quot;In July 2018, red notices were published by Interpol referring to these individuals as fugitives wanted for prosecution,&quot; he told reporters.&quot;All of these were ignored by the former government.&quot;Tikoduadua said seven Grace Road members, including Shin&#x27;s son Daniel Kim, had been declared &quot;prohibited immigrants&quot; and would be sent back to South Korea.Two fugitive Grace Road members had so far evaded police and &quot;remain at large&quot;, Tikoduadua added.A South Korean court in 2019 heard harrowing allegations about the experiences of former Grace Road Church members.&quot;The victims suffered helplessly from collective beatings and experienced not only physical torture but also severe fear and considerable mental shock,&quot; according to a judgement by the Anyang sub-court of the Suwon District Court.&quot;Heavy punishment is inevitable against illegal acts carried out in the name of religion,&quot; it added.Some former followers told journalists that those who attempted to leave the church were punished with severe public beatings known as &quot;ground threshings&quot;.sft/djw/sn/mca<div>© Agence France-Presse</div>

High-ranking members of South Korea's Grace Road Cult will be kicked out of Fiji, immigration authorities said Thursday

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Fiji to deport members of South Korean 'cult'

Fiji to deport members of South Korean 'cult'

Agence France-Presse

Published Sep 07, 2023 04:32 PM PHT

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Suva

Fiji

KOREA

South Korea

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Agence France-Presse

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