A religious group implicated in the brutal murder and alleged cult activities that have unsettled the Korean American community in Georgia.
The Soldiers of Christ emerged into public awareness following the tragic murder of a South Korean woman, Sehee Cho, during what was described as an initiation process. Cho, 33, arrived in the United States seeking healing from a traumatic experience but met a grim fate at the hands of a group led by two Korean American brothers in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Her severely malnourished body, weighing just 70 pounds, was discovered in September in the trunk of a car, leading to the arrest and murder charges against the brothers, their mother, another brother, and three additional individuals.
The case has shocked the Korean American community in metro Atlanta, prompting concerns about the presence and danger of religious cults and the exploitation of immigrants. The community, particularly in Gwinnett County—a hub of Korean social and cultural life known as “The Seoul of the South”—has been urged to be more vigilant. The involvement of young individuals in the cult, including a 15-year-old, and their connection to local churches have exacerbated these concerns. The father of the brothers, a local pastor, has not been charged.
Investigators have struggled to find members or affiliates of the Soldiers of Christ beyond the small group of defendants. However, the case has raised alarm about the potential for undetected cult-like activities within the Korean American community. A seminar was organized by local pastors to educate college students about Korean cults and their operations, highlighting the need for awareness and caution among Korean Christians in the United States.
The defendants allegedly recorded their brutal treatment of Cho, including beatings and ice baths, as part of an initiation that Cho attempted to quit shortly after it began. The group’s purported leader, Joonho Lee, claimed to receive instructions directly from God, with Cho being forcibly kept in the program despite her wishes to leave. The case continues to unfold, with charges including murder and false imprisonment laid against the group members.
image via fox5atlanta
