The leader of one of South Korea's largest cult-like churches stood trial on Monday accused of bribing the country's former first lady with gifts including a designer handbag and a diamond necklace.

The arrest of leader Han Hak-ja in September rocked the Unification Church, which claims to have 10 million followers worldwide and controls a sprawling business empire.

The 82-year-old defendant, known to her followers as "holy mother", also faces graft charges over cash payments to a lawmaker linked to disgraced president Yoon Suk Yeol.

On Monday, Han's defence team denied that she had bribed former first lady Kim Keon Hee or that lawmaker, insisting the gifts were arranged by a former church official acting independently and without her knowledge, Seoul's Yonhap news agency reported.

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