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South Korea’s prosecutors said today they have indicted former president Moon Jae-in on corruption charges related to the employment of his son-in-law at an airline.
Moon was “indicted for corruption for receiving 217 million won (USD 150,000) in connection with facilitating the employment of his son-in-law at an airline”, the Jeonju District Prosecutors’ Office said in a statement.
The case adds to the political drama gripping South Korea, which is facing elections on June 3 after Yoon Suk Yeol was stripped of his presidency for imposing martial law briefly.
Moon, who served as
president from 2017 to 2022
, was known for pursuing engagement with North Korea, including brokering talks between Pyongyang’s leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump during his first term.
According to prosecutors, Moon’s son-in-law was appointed managing director by low-cost airline Thai Eastar Jet, “despite lacking any relevant experience or qualifications in the airline industry”.
The airline, which was effectively controlled by a former MP from Moon’s party, had given Moon’s son-in-law the job in a bid to win favours from the then-president, prosecutors said.
According to prosecutors, any salary and other financial benefits paid by the airline to the son-in-law between 2018 and 2020 “were confirmed as not legitimate salary payments, but bribes intended for the president”.
The son-in-law later divorced Moon’s daughter.
With Moon’s indictment
, two former presidents of South Korea are concurrently in the cross-hairs of justice.
Disgraced ex-president Yoon is currently facing trial on insurrection charges over his December 3 martial law decree, which lasted only around six hours as it was voted down by opposition MPs.
If convicted, Yoon could be sentenced to life in prison or be given the maximum penalty — the death sentence.
But it is highly unlikely that any death sentence would be carried out. South Korea has had an unofficial moratorium on executions since 1997.
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By AFP