South Korea’s former President Moon Jae-in has been indicted on bribery charges, according to prosecutors. Moon, who served from 2017 to 2022 as a member of the centre-left Democratic Party, is accused of appointing a former lawmaker to a government-funded nonprofit in exchange for his then son-in-law getting a job at a Thai airline, Eastar Jet.
The Jeonju District Prosecutors’ Office stated that the appointment of Lee Sang-jik to lead the SMEs and Startups Agency was made in return for Seo, Moon’s ex-son-in-law, being hired as executive director at Eastar Jet, which was controlled by Lee at the time. Prosecutors claim that the salary and benefits amounting to approximately 223 million won, or about $151,959, given to Seo were essentially a bribe to Moon.
In response to the indictment, the Democratic Party criticized the move, calling it politically motivated and an abuse of power. Party spokeswoman Park Kyung-mee questioned the logic behind the allegations, asking if the salary paid to Seo was truly meant to be seen as a bribe.
Moon’s indictment adds to a troubling trend in South Korean politics, where several former presidents have faced legal issues. His successor, the impeached Yoon Suk-yeol, is currently on trial for insurrection related to a controversial martial law declaration. Other former leaders, including Moon’s predecessors Park Geun-hye and Lee Myung-bak, have also been sentenced to prison for various crimes. Additionally, Moon’s political mentor, Roh Moo-hyun, tragically took his own life in 2009 while under investigation for bribery.
During his presidency, Moon, a former human rights lawyer, focused on expanding social welfare and improving relations with North Korea. As South Korea approaches a presidential election on June 3 to replace Yoon, the political landscape remains tense and uncertain.