Former South Korean President Moon Jae-in Indicted on Bribery Charges
Former South Korean President Moon Jae-in was indicted Thursday on bribery charges related to the alleged facilitation of his son-in-law’s employment at a budget airline, prosecutors announced.
The Jeonju District Prosecutors’ Office accused Moon, 72, of receiving approximately 217 million won ($152,000) in illicit benefits between 2018 and 2020. The funds were allegedly channeled through wages, housing expenses, and other financial support provided to his then-son-in-law, identified only by his surname Seo, who worked at Thailand-based Eastar Jet.
Prosecutors claim Seo was hired as a director-level employee despite lacking aviation industry experience and performed minimal duties while drawing a salary nearly double that of the airline’s CEO. Moon’s daughter, Da-hye, was also named in the indictment, according to South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency.
Political Fallout Ahead of Snap Election
The indictment comes six weeks before South Korea’s snap general election on June 3, a vote scheduled after conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached and removed from office late last year for declaring martial law. Yoon, who succeeded Moon in 2022, now faces separate legal proceedings that could result in life imprisonment or the death penalty if convicted.
Prosecutors also indicted former lawmaker Lee Sang-jik, founder of Eastar Jet, on bribery and breach-of-trust charges. They allege Lee secured his appointment as head of the state-funded Korea SMEs & Startups Agency (KOSME) in exchange for hiring Moon’s son-in-law. However, investigators found no direct evidence that Moon reciprocated with political favors.
Moon, a liberal leader credited with easing tensions with North Korea during his 2017–2022 presidency, has not been detained. His case adds to South Korea’s history of prosecuting former presidents, including Park Geun-hye and Lee Myung-bak, both later pardoned after corruption convictions.
The trial will be held at the Seoul Central District Court, with proceedings expected to unfold amid heightened political tensions ahead of the election.