-'26.3.25(수) 매일신문 보도에 대한 설명자료 -
□ 지난 3.24(화) 롭 맥코이 목사(前 캘리포니아 사우전드오크스 시장)가 매일신문 유튜브에 출연해 발언한 내용과 관련한 정부 입장임
□ 맥코이 목사 주요 발언 및 정부 입장
① 롭 맥코이 목사는 (손현보 목사가 '25년 9월 공직선거법 위반 혐의로 구속된 것과 관련해) "손 목사가 도둑질을 했나? 횡령을 했나? 그냥 말을 했을 뿐인데, 그의 말에서 어떤 위협을 느꼈나?"라고 발언함
⇒ 손 목사는 예배 중 확성기를 사용해 특정 교육감 후보를 지지하고 김문수 대선후보 지지 영상을 상영해, 직무상 행위를 이용한 선거운동을 금지한 공직선거법*을 위반, 1심에서 유죄판결**을 받았음
* 공직선거법 제85조 3항 : 누구든지 교육적·종교적 또는 직업적인 기관·단체 등의 조직내에서의 직무상 행위를 이용하여 그 구성원에 대하여 선거운동을 하거나 하게 하거나, 계열화나 하도급 등 거래상 특수한 지위를 이용하여 기업조직·기업체 또는 그 구성원에 대하여 선거운동을 하거나 하게 할 수 없다.
** (경과) 구속 기소('25.9.26) / 1심 선고(징역 6월-집행유예 1년, '26.1.30) / 쌍방 항소 제기
⇒ 한편, 헌법재판소는 종교단체 등의 선거운동을 금지한 공직선거법 제85조 3항에 대한 위헌소송에서 동 조항을 합헌으로 결정(2021헌바233)
- 성직자가 특정정당에 대한 지지 또는 반대를 끌어내려는 경우, 신도들은 성직자의 영향력에 이끌려 왜곡된 정치적 의사를 형성할 가능성이 큰 만큼 이를 방지하는 것이 중요하다고 판시
② 롭 맥코이 목사는 대한민국 헌법 제20조와 관련해, "교회가 정치에 참여하면 안된다는 말이 아니라, 국가가 교회의 권리와 활동에 간섭하면 안된다는 말"이라고 발언함
* 대한민국 헌법 제20조 ①모든 국민은 종교의 자유를 가진다.②국교는 인정되지 아니하며, 종교와 정치는 분리된다.
⇒ 헌법 제20조 2항은 정치의 종교 관여 뿐 아니라 종교의 정치 관여도 제한하는 "상호 분리"를 의미한다는 것이 판례와 학계의 입장임
- 먼저 헌법재판소는 육군훈련소 내 종교행사 참석을 강제한 것에 대한 위헌 확인 사건(2019헌마941)에서, 종교-정치 분리의 의미는 상호 간 간섭이나 영향력을 행사하지 않는 것으로 판시한 바 있음
- 또한, 헌법상의 종교와 정치의 분리는 종교단체의 정치 개입도 금지한다는 것이 헌법학계의 일반적인 견해임
③ 롭 맥코이 목사는 민법 개정안과 관련해, "목사의 정치활동을 막는 법이며, 노조도 교사도 정치활동을 하는데 왜 교회만 대상으로 하는 이 같은 법이 나온 것인가?"라고 발언함
⇒ 동 법은 무소속 국회의원이 대표발의하여 제출한 법안으로, 종교단체가 법령을 위반해 조직적･반복적으로 정치에 개입하는 것을 제한하는 것을 주요 내용으로 하고 현재 상임위에 계류되어 있음
Explanatory Statement
on Rev. Rob McCoy's YouTube Remarks
– Concerning the Maeil Newspaper Reports
Dated March 25, 2026 –
□ This document outlines the government's position concerning remarks made by Rev. Rob McCoy (former Mayor of Thousand Oaks, California) during his appearance on the YouTube channel of Maeil Newspaper on March 24, 2026.
□ Key Remarks by Rev. McCoy and the Government's Position
① Rev. Rob McCoy stated, (in relation to the arrest of Pastor Son Hyun-bo in September 2025 on charges of violating the Public Official Election Act): "Did Pastor Son steal anything? Did he embezzle anything? It was simply for words, speech—what threat was perceived in his words?"
⇒ In the first trial, Pastor Son was found guilty** of violating the Public Official Election Act*. He was charged with conducting illegal election campaigning through the use of one's official position, by using a loudspeaker during a worship service to support a specific candidate for Superintendent of Education and by playing a video endorsing presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo.
* Article 85(3) of the Public Official Election Act:
No person shall engage in an election campaign targeting the members of an educational, religious or professional institution or organization, by taking advantage of any occupational act in the organization thereof, or shall have such members engage in an election campaign; or shall engage in an election campaign targeting a business organization or enterprise or members thereof, by taking advantage of a special transaction status, such as a systematization or subcontract, or shall have such organization or enterprise or members thereof engage in an election campaign.
** (Case History) Indicted while in custody (Sept. 26, 2025); Convicted at first instance (Jan. 30, 2026) and sentenced to six (6) months' imprisonment, suspended for one (1) year; Appeals filed by both parties.
⇒ Meanwhile, the Constitutional Court of Korea, in a constitutional challenge to Article 85(3) of the Public Official Election Act—which prohibits electioneering by religious organizations—upheld the constitutionality of Article 85(3). (Case no. 2021Hun-Ba233).
- The Constitutional Court reasoned that where clergy members seek to induce support for or opposition to a particular political party, there is a substantial risk that congregants are likely to form distorted political views under the influence of the clergy; therefore, preventing such influence is of significant importance.
② Rev. Rob McCoy stated, with respect to Article 20 of the Constitution of the Republic of Korea, that "It does not mean that the church should refrain from participating in politics, but rather that the state must not interfere with the rights and activities of the church."
* Article 20 of the Constitution of the Republic of Korea:
(1) All citizens shall enjoy freedom of religion.
(2) No state religion shall be recognized, and religion and state shall be separated.
⇒ It is the established position of both judicial precedents and the academic community that Article 20(2) of the Constitution embodies a principle of "mutual separation," prohibiting not only political involvement in religion but also religious involvement in politics.
- To begin with, the Korean Constitutional Court, in a complaint challenging the constitutionality of mandatory attendance at religious services in an army training camp (Case no. 2019Hun-Ma941), previously ruled that the principle of separation of religion and the politics signifies a mutual restraint from interference or influence by either side.
- In addition, it is the general view in the constitutional academia that the constitutional separation of religion and politics also prohibits religious organizations from intervening in politics.
③ Rev. Rob McCoy commented on the proposed Civil Act amendment, stating: "This law is designed to forbid pastors from participating in politics. Trade unions and teachers' unions are allowed to engage in politics—why are the churches singled out?"
⇒ The bill was proposed by an independent member of the National Assembly as prime sponsor, not from the ruling party, and primarily aims to restrict religious organizations from engaging in organized or repeated political interference in violation of the laws and regulations. It is currently pending in the relevant standing committee.