Remarks on detained and persecuted Mother Han by televangelist Paula White, adviser to President Donald Trump, draw attention in South Korean religious media
Prepared by Knut Holdhus
An article by reporter Shin Bi-rom (신비롬) in the South Korean religious news outlet Peace Tree (평화나무) on March 16th has drawn attention to remarks made by American televangelist Paula White, a prominent evangelical leader who currently heads the White House Faith Office. According to the report, White publicly praised Hak Ja Han (한학자) – also called Mother Han – the leader of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, during a video address sent to a major religious conference organized by the movement in 2025.
The remarks have attracted attention in South Korea because Unificationism (통일교) – often called the “Moon movement” after its founder – has long been regarded by many Korean Protestant churches as a controversial new religious movement. Statements of support for its leadership from internationally known Christian figures can therefore provoke debate within Korea’s highly active Christian media environment.
According to the Peace Tree report, White recorded a congratulatory message in August 2025 for the “2025 World Religious Leaders Conference”, an event hosted by Unificationism that brings together religious leaders from different countries and traditions. In the message, Paula White expressed appreciation for the leadership of Hak Ja Han and referred to her with the phrase “Holy Mother Han”, a title used by followers of the movement. Paula White thanked her for demonstrating courage and strong faith and said she believed Mother Han’s prayers would play a role in the future peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula.
In the same message, Paula White also praised Mother Han for convening religious leaders in Korea and encouraging them to worship God together, affirm religious freedom, and cooperate in the pursuit of peace. The comments, which circulated through conference media coverage, were later highlighted by Peace Tree as part of its reporting on connections between political figures and controversial religious groups.
Paula White is one of the most visible evangelical pastors in American politics. She served as a religious adviser during the first administration of Donald Trump and later became head of the White House Faith Office after Trump returned to power. Known for preaching prosperity theology – a strand of evangelical teaching that links faith with material blessing – White has been a prominent figure in American religious broadcasting and conservative Christian political networks for decades.
The South Korean report also connects White’s earlier remarks to a more recent political development. She has reportedly played a role in facilitating a meeting between Kim Min-seok (김민석), the Prime Minister of South Korea, and President Trump. According to Kim’s explanation, the meeting was not originally scheduled but occurred after he first met with White in her capacity as head of the White House Faith Office.
Kim stated that during his conversation with Paula White, questions arose concerning several Korean religious figures, including Son Hyun-bo (손현보), a megachurch pastor from Busan, and Hak Ja Han. Prime Minister Kim emphasized that any legal issues being discussed were not related to religious beliefs or activities themselves. Instead, he said, the matters involved alleged violations of election law, political financing rules, or bribery statutes – issues that would apply equally to anyone, regardless of whether they were religious leaders.
The article published by Peace Tree reflects a broader pattern within South Korea’s religious media landscape, where journalists closely track interactions between political leaders and religious organizations. Because Christianity – particularly Protestant Christianity – plays a significant social and political role in South Korea, statements by influential international Christian leaders can quickly become part of domestic debates about religious authority, political influence, and the legitimacy of new religious movements.
Paula White’s comments about Mother Han, therefore, attracted attention not only because of the praise itself but also because of the wider historical tensions between mainstream Korean Protestant churches and Unificationism. By highlighting the remarks, the Peace Tree report situates them within ongoing discussions in South Korea about the relationship between religion, politics, and international evangelical networks.
Featured image above: Reverend Paula White, senior advisor to the White House Faith Office,