Former South Korean President Moon Jae-in has strongly criticised the country’s prosecution service, accusing it of political bias and abuse of power following his indictment on bribery charges linked to the employment of his former son-in-law.
On Thursday, prosecutors formally charged Moon over allegations that his son-in-law received a job and financial benefits at a Thai-based airline between 2018 and 2020 in exchange for Moon’s appointment of Lee Sang-jik as the head of South Korea’s SMEs and Startups Agency.
Speaking on Friday during a meeting with National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-sik, Moon denounced the indictment as unjust and politically motivated.
“Beyond revealing my personal innocence, I plan to focus on properly uncovering and informing the public about the abuse and politicisation of the prosecution’s power,” Moon said.
According to a statement from the Jeonju District Prosecutors’ Office, prosecutors believe the employment arrangement for Moon’s former son-in-law involved bribery and constituted a quid pro quo. Lee Sang-jik, a former lawmaker who reportedly controlled the Thai airline at the time, has also been indicted for bribery and breach of trust.
Moon’s legal team has denied all allegations, maintaining that the payments to his son-in-law were legitimate salaries for actual work performed. They also accused the prosecution of targeting Moon for political reasons, particularly in the run-up to the June 3 snap presidential election triggered by the impeachment and removal of President Yoon Suk Yeol over his controversial martial law declaration.
The indictment has heightened political tensions in a country where legal battles involving former presidents are not uncommon. Prosecutors cited past bribery cases involving former presidents Park Geun-hye and Lee Myung-bak, both of whom were convicted and imprisoned, as precedents.
Moon, a former member of the liberal Democratic Party (DP), continues to maintain significant influence. His indictment comes as Lee Jae-myung, also from the DP, leads opinion polls by a wide margin over conservative candidates from Yoon’s People Power Party (PPP).
While Moon’s supporters argue that the prosecution is engaging in a politically charged witch hunt, critics say the case underscores the need for transparency and accountability at the highest levels of government.
Melissa Enoch
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