The former head of the Christian Council of Korea (CCK)—from which he was later expelled for cult-like behavior—Jeon currently leads Sarang Jeil Church in Seoul. In April 2025, he announced his intention to run for the South Korean presidency, though was ruled ineligible.
Jeon played a central role in the Christian Liberal Party, one of several failed efforts to construct an explicitly Evangelical political vehicle. He rose to national prominence during the presidency of Moon Jae-in, accusing the administration of “communizing” South Korea and aligning with Satan. His sermons framed national politics as a cosmic battle between God’s elect and demonic forces. His rallies—often featuring as many American flags as South Korean ones—underscored his ideological and theological alignment with the U.S. Christian right.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jeon defied public health mandates, held mass gatherings, and portrayed lockdowns as a form of anti-Christian repression. Following the April 2024 elections, in which the People Power Party (PPP) failed to regain control of the National Assembly, Jeon embraced and promoted U.S.-style election fraud conspiracy theories, helping to radicalize a growing segment of the South Korean far right.
After President Yoon Suk-yeol’s December 4 attempted self-coup, Jeon praised the move as “a gift from God to the Korean church.” He is now under investigation for inciting insurrection and is accused of helping organize the 2025 Seoul Western District Court riot, during which far-right protesters stormed a courthouse after an arrest warrant was issued for Yoon. The event drew comparisons to the January 6 Capitol attack in the United States and Brazil’s January 8 insurrection.
