International concern has continued to mount.
In August 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump said he had received reports that the South Korean government was carrying out what he described as “very vicious raids” on churches and was entering U.S. military bases to gather information, suggesting that “a purge or a revolution may be taking place.”
After learning of the scale of the alleged church raids, Trump further criticized the situation, calling it “a very bad thing.”
Observers note that it is highly unusual for the leader of an allied nation to publicly voice concern over another country’s internal law-enforcement practices.
In December, the International Democracy Union (IDU) stated that continued monitoring of South Korea’s adherence to democratic principles and its protection of fundamental rights is warranted, describing the adoption of a formal resolution addressing democracy and the rule of law in South Korea as a rare step.
The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) explicitly guarantees freedom of religion and stipulates that any state intervention must meet strict standards of legality, proportionality, and minimum impairment.
The situation raises a broader question for liberal democracies worldwide: how far may state power extend into matters of religion and fundamental civil rights? As scrutiny of South Korea’s democratic institutions intensifies, international attention continues to grow.
