The former South Korean President Moon Jae-in has been indicted for bribery. Prosecutors say the case is linked to the hiring of Moon’s former son-in-law at a Thai-based airline, Thai Eastar Jet. The Jeonju District Prosecutors’ Office revealed that Moon is accused of receiving 217 million won—around $236,000—through what they claim was a dishonest job arrangement.
According to investigators, Moon’s former son-in-law was appointed as a managing director at the airline even though he had no background, skills, or qualifications related to aviation. The prosecutors argue that the position was given to him not based on merit, but as a way to funnel bribes to Moon during his presidency, which lasted from 2017 to 2022.
The role came with a high salary and other financial perks. But prosecutors say the payments were not legitimate. Instead, they claim these were bribes disguised as job benefits, offered in hopes of gaining influence over then-President Moon.
The Role of Thai Eastar Jet and Political Ties
The airline involved in the case, Thai Eastar Jet, is a low-cost carrier operating out of Thailand. Prosecutors state that the company was effectively under the control of a former lawmaker from Moon Jae-in’s own political party. This connection, they say, was key in setting up the questionable job for the president’s son-in-law.
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Despite holding an important title, the son-in-law reportedly did not fulfill the duties of the position. Prosecutors claim he frequently skipped work for long periods and lacked the professionalism expected from a top-level executive. These facts, they argue, show that the position was never intended to be real work—it was simply a way to pay off the president through his family.
The salary and benefits the son-in-law received between 2018 and 2020, officials say, were not regular earnings but bribes meant to win Moon’s political favor. The case gained more attention after it was revealed that the son-in-law later divorced Moon’s daughter, although that occurred after the period under investigation.
Moon Jae-in, who was widely known for his efforts to improve relations with North Korea during his time in office, has not yet made a public comment on the charges. Reuters noted that neither Moon nor his legal team could be immediately reached.
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Legal Troubles Deepen as Yoon Suk Yeol Faces Trial
This indictment against Moon Jae-in arrives while the country is still watching another dramatic case involving former President Yoon Suk Yeol. Yoon is currently on trial for insurrection, facing charges related to his attempt to declare martial law and deploy armed troops to the National Assembly in December of last year.
Yoon was impeached and officially removed from office earlier this month, becoming South Korea’s first sitting president to be arrested, though he was later released due to legal procedures. On Monday, he appeared in court for his second hearing, where he denied all accusations and spoke at length defending his actions.
If found guilty, Yoon could become the third president in South Korea’s history to be convicted of insurrection, following two military leaders who took part in a coup in 1979.
Now, with both Moon Jae-in and Yoon Suk Yeol facing major criminal cases, South Korea finds itself in an unusual and unsettling moment. The country is set to hold a special presidential election on June 3 as it deals with two former leaders caught in the middle of serious legal battles.
