Lovebirds over the ‘Moon’

Perfect match: Couples attending a mass wedding ceremony organised by the Unification Church at Cheongshim Peace World Centre in Gapyeong. — AFP

They’ve been called a cult, accused of coercive fundraising, and legally disbanded in Japan. But in a mountainous town nestled in the country, thousands of “Moonies” gathered this month for a mass wedding.

Around 1,300 couples from dozens of countries tied the knot at the Unification Church’s sprawling headquarters in Gapyeong, north of Seoul, under the supervision of their controversial leader, known as the “holy mother”.