Seoul: Prosecutors announced Thursday that former President Moon Jae-in has been indicted on charges of bribery, stemming from allegations of facilitating the employment of his former son-in-law at an airline.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Moon, who was in office from 2017 to 2022, faces corruption charges, while former lawmaker Lee Sang-jik, the founder of budget carrier Thai Eastar Jet, has been indicted for bribery and breach of trust. The allegations include Moon and his daughter, Da-hye, purportedly receiving bribes in the form of salary and other payments for Da-hye's ex-husband, Seo, from the airline.
Seo was appointed as an executive director at the airline in 2018 following Lee's appointment as head of the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency. Prosecutors suspect Lee's appointment was a quid pro quo for hiring Seo, particularly given Seo's lack of relevant industry experience at that time.
Moon is accused of ceasing financial support to his daughter's family after Seo's employment, with prosecutors considering the approximately 217 million won (US$151,125) paid to Seo and Da-hye by the airline as a bribe to the former president. This indictment comes ahead of the June 3 presidential election, following the ousting of former President Yoon Suk Yeol earlier this month over his failed martial law attempt.
Moon's legal team criticized the indictment as politically motivated, labeling it an "unlawful indictment based on fabricated claims." They stated that Moon was preparing a written response, which was to be submitted by the end of April, but prosecutors proceeded without verifying key details or waiting for the response.
The Democratic Party (DP), which nominated Moon in the 2017 presidential election, also condemned the indictment. DP spokesperson Park Kyung-mee described the move as "a political maneuver" intended to damage the former president's and the party's reputation. Furthermore, former DP leader Lee Jae-myung labeled the indictment "an act of political persecution against the previous administration."