Seoul: A Seoul court announced on Tuesday that it will make a decision in November regarding former President Moon Jae-in's request for a jury trial in his ongoing bribery case. Moon faces allegations of accepting 217 million won (approximately US$156,000) from former Representative Lee Sang-jik, purportedly in the form of a salary and living expenses for his then son-in-law, identified as Seo. This exchange was allegedly to secure Lee's appointment as the head of the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Seo was employed by the Thailand-based budget airline Thai Eastar Jet, which is a subsidiary of Eastar Jet, a company founded by Lee. The Seoul Central District Court, during the second preparatory hearing, stated that it will conduct a third hearing on November 25 to determine whether a jury trial will proceed. This decision will consider the selection of evidence and the possibility of limiting the number of witnesses to seven or eight.
The court also dismissed Moon's request, for the second time, to transfer the case to the district court in Ulsan, located 305 kilometers southeast of Seoul. The court reasoned that the circumstances had not changed since June, when it initially rejected the request, emphasizing the necessity for both the recipient and the donor to be present in a bribery trial. Ulsan is in proximity to Moon's residence in Yangsan.
Moon did not attend the hearing as his presence was not mandatory for the preparatory session, unlike during the main trial. Lee, who is currently incarcerated in Jeonju, was present for the proceedings.