“South Korean National Allegedly Killed by Fanatic Religious Group in Atlanta: Cult Fears Rise”

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A shocking case has emerged in Gwinnett County, Georgia, where a South Korean national, Sehee Cho, was found dead in the trunk of a car as a 70-pound decaying corpse. Cho was allegedly lured to the Atlanta area by a “religious organization” called the “Soldiers of Christ” after experiencing a traumatic event. Prosecutors claim that Cho was killed during a brutal admission process into this fanatic religious group led by two South Korean brothers.

The investigation has resulted in the arrest of seven people, mostly family members, who allegedly held Cho captive in their basement for weeks. She was subjected to beatings with a belt, dunked in ice baths, and starved to death. Law enforcement believes that they have apprehended all the individuals involved in Cho’s death. However, concerns about the existence of other cult-like groups operating in the shadows across the country have raised alarm in the predominantly Korean community of Gwinnett County, Georgia.

The “Soldiers of Christ” has been officially classified as a criminal street gang based on Georgia law. The alleged founder of the group, Joonho Lee, reportedly wanted 12 disciples and attempted to recruit a Korean-American Georgia State University student after Cho’s death. These disturbing allegations align more closely with cult activity than a street gang, according to cult expert Dr. Steve Hassan, who escaped a Korean cult in the 1970s and has since become a leading authority on fanatical sects.

Cho’s vulnerability due to her struggles with depression made her an easy target for the group. Prosecutors claim that she was taken to Lee’s family home to “find God” in July 2023. During an initiation phase, Joonho was captured on video beating Cho with a belt and subjecting her to ice baths. When Cho expressed a desire to leave, she was allegedly told, “There is no quitting this program.”

Dr. Hassan believes that the way Cho was killed, along with Joonho’s claims of receiving revelations from God, are typical traits of a cult. He warns that there are thousands of similar groups operating in the United States, often led by individuals who were raised in a cult or left to create their own. These splinter groups, consisting of fewer than 25 members, rely on control tactics such as starvation, sleep deprivation, and restricting access to information to suppress critical thinking and instill fear of questioning the leader or their doctrines.

Seven people have been arrested in connection with Cho’s death. Each suspect faces charges of murder, false imprisonment, tampering with evidence, and concealing the death of another. The three brothers, Joonho, Junyeoug, and Juoonhyum Lee, along with their mother, Mihee Lee, were among those arrested. The remaining suspects are Gawom Lee, Hyunji Lee (Joonho Lee’s fiancée), and Eric Hyun.

Lawyers for the defendants either declined to comment or did not respond to requests for comment. The investigation into this shocking case continues, shedding light on the existence of cult-like groups operating within communities across the United States..