Unification Church founder hurt in crash

SEOUL, July 19 (UPI) -- The Rev. Sun Myung Moon, who founded the Unification Church, and his wife were injured Saturday in a helicopter crash in South Korea, officials said.

Fire official Kim Wu-jong said the Moons were hurt when the aircraft in which they were traveling struck a mountain nearly 37 miles northeast of Seoul, Sky News reported.

Kim said the helicopter was carrying 16 people when it crashed. The condition of the other passengers was not released, but Sky News said other injured individuals accompanied Moon to Cheongshim Hospital.

Hospital official Park Sung-kwon said the injuries to Moon, who founded the Unification Church in the 1950s, were not serious.

Moon is considered by members of the religious group, which is based in Seoul, as a messiah who is completing the works of Jesus Christ .

Sky News said police and fire officials were still attempting to determine what caused the fiery crash.

Moon also is founder of News World Communications Inc., which owns United Press International.