South Korea’s former president Moon Jae-in named suspect in bribery probe

SEOUL – Prosecutors in South Korea have identified former president Moon Jae-in as a suspect in a bribery case, alleging that his former son-in-law received preferential treatment in securing a job with an airline in return for arranging a key government appointment for the politician who founded the airline.

The Criminal Division 3 of the Jeonju District Prosecutor’s Office is leading the investigation into Mr Moon’s potential involvement, as detailed in a search warrant executed on Aug 30 at the home of his daughter, Ms Moon Da-hye.

The raid stems from complaints filed four years ago regarding the hiring of Mr Moon’s then son-in-law, identified only by his surname Seo, at Thai Eastar Jet.

Mr Seo has since divorced Ms Moon.

The investigation focuses on a possible connection between Mr Seo’s employment and the appointment of former lawmaker Lee Sang-jik as head of the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency, or Kosme.

The conservative ruling People Power Party (PPP) and Seoul-based civic group Justice People filed four complaints between September 2020 and April 2021, alleging possible quid pro quo.

In September 2020, the PPP, then the main opposition party, filed a corruption complaint with prosecutors regarding Mr Seo’s appointment as executive director of Thai Eastar Jet, a low-cost carrier founded by Mr Lee, a two-term lawmaker with the then ruling Democratic Party and the founder of South Korean budget airline Eastar Jet.

Mr Lee was appointed Kosme president in March 2018, just months before Mr Seo joined Eastar’s Thai unit in July that year.

Mr Seo’s lack of airline industry experience, combined with the company’s financial struggles, raised suspicions of presidential office involvement in his appointment.

Prosecutors suspect that Mr Lee’s appointment as Kosme chief may have been decided during an informal meeting of presidential secretaries in late 2017.

The prosecution alleges that Mr Moon and his wife had been supporting their daughter’s family for some time, but ceased this support after Mr Seo was hired by Thai Eastar Jet.

If the support was cut off after Mr Seo’s employment, the prosecution believes that the support from the airline, including Mr Seo’s salary and housing, could be seen as a bribe to Mr Moon.

Prosecutors estimate that Mr Seo received a total of 223 million won (S$218,000) in salary and relocation expenses to Thailand between July 2018 and April 2020, which they view as bribes to Mr Moon.

Accordingly, they indicated in the search warrant that Mr Moon is suspected of receiving this amount as a bribe from Mr Lee.

Mr Seo has been questioned three times in 2024 as a witness, consistently maintaining his right to remain silent.

Earlier, prosecutors booked Mr Cho Hyun-ock, former senior presidential secretary for personnel affairs under Mr Moon, on power abuse charges related to the case, and questioned several other former presidential office officials.

Notably, Mr Im Jong-seok, a former chief of staff under Mr Moon, was questioned on Aug 19. Prosecutors inquired whether he had played any role in appointing Mr Lee as chief of the start-ups agency in 2018.

They also questioned Rebuilding Korea Party leader Cho Kuk, Mr Moon’s senior aide at that time, for over three hours on Aug 31.

The ruling and opposition parties reacted differently to the prosecutors’ raid on the home of Mr Moon’s daughter.

PPP spokesman Jeong Kwang-jae said on Aug 31: “The Democratic Party and opposition parties consistently argue that all citizens should be equal before the law... Moon Da-hye is no exception. She must also be held to the same standard.”

Critics argue there is a political motive behind the investigation.

Confirming his summons via social media, Mr Im suggested the case was initiated by “political prosecutors” aiming for “political purposes”, highlighted by recent searches of bank accounts belonging to Mr Moon and his wife.

While entering the Jeonju District Prosecutors’ Office on Aug 31, Mr Cho alleged the investigation against Mr Moon and his family aims to divert attention from suspicions surrounding President Yoon Suk-yeol and First Lady Kim Keon-hee.

Meanwhile, 37 Democratic Party lawmakers, many former aides from Mr Moon’s administration, condemned the prosecution for labelling Mr Moon a suspect.

At a news conference at the National Assembly on Sept 1, they warned: “The ultimate outcome of this political revenge will be the downfall of the current government and the prosecution.” THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK