Unification Church founder Moon dies at 92

SEOUL (AFP) - Sun Myung Moon, a self-proclaimed messiah who founded the controversial Unification Church and turned it into a multi-billion dollar business empire, died in South Korea on Monday at the age of 92.

Moon, who was hospitalised with complications from pneumonia more than two weeks ago, passed away just before 2am (1am Singapore time), his spokesman revealed.

The church on Friday said the religious leader had critical organ failure and quoted doctors as saying he had entered "an irreversible stage of his condition".

Moon, a South Korean, was born to a farming family in what is now North Korea. He said he was inspired by a vision of Jesus at age 15 to complete the messianic mission interrupted by the crucifixion.