hankyoreh

Lawmakers with the Democratic Party who served in the Moon Jae-in administration hold a press conference on Sept. 1, 2024, on the investigation into Moon. (Yonhap)

Prosecutors are investigating former President Moon Jae-in on bribery charges in connection to suspicions of nepotism in the hiring process of Moon’s son-in-law for a position in the budget airline Thai Eastar Jet. The political opposition has lambasted the investigation as a political retribution against the preceding administration.  

Up until recently, it had been reported that prosecutors were looking into Moon for bribery via a third party. Now, they appear to think it’s possible to charge him with outright bribery. 

According to the Hankyoreh’s investigations, as of Sunday, the third criminal law division of the Jeonju District Prosecutors’ Office is reviewing the necessary legal principles and precedents to make the bribery charges against Moon stick. 

Bribery via a third party involves a third party accepting money or a gift on behalf of a public official under the assumption that the public official involved will fulfill a certain request or favor related to his professional duties. In this instance, the public official somehow benefits indirectly through the third party’s acceptance of the bribe. Standard bribery charges apply if the public official in question directly profits from the monetary or material gift offered as a bribe. 

Democratic Party lawmaker Youn Kun-young rallied fellow party members who also served in the Blue House or Cabinet positions during the Moon administration in fierce opposition to the investigation. Youn and his fellow party members held a press conference at the National Assembly on Sunday, declaring, “The prosecutors are labeling former President Moon Jae-in as a criminal suspect as they unsheath their swords of political retribution.”

“This retribution will ultimately end in the collapse of the current administration and the prosecutors,” the lawmakers went on.

“The prosecutors have been out for blood for the past two years, insulting and harassing the former president. It turns out it was all part of their ploy to put him on the investigative block, something they’ve been plotting from the beginning,” they added. 

“If they think marching the former president into the spotlight will distract the public and its fury at the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, they are sorely mistaken.” 

In his opening address ahead of a meeting with his ruling party counterpart held on the same day, Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung said, “There has recently been an increase in excessive measures that can be viewed as political retribution against the former administration.” 

“These attempts cannot hide the truth of things or conceal political failures,” Lee added. 

Having been questioned by the Jeonju District Prosecutors’ Office on the previous day, Rebuilding Korea Party founder and leader Cho Kuk posted on his Facebook page, “Prosecutors have confiscated the iPad of President Moon’s grandson, who is in elementary school.”

“When they went to question ‘Dr.’ Kim Keon-hee, did they even bring their handcuffs? Did they even lay a hand on her?” Cho wrote, decrying the prosecutors for what he characterized as a heavy-handed investigation and for betraying their duty to fairness. 

The People Power Party did not issue a public statement on the investigation into Moon, likely out of consideration for the cross-the-aisle talks being held between their party leader and Lee. During a phone call with the Hankyoreh on Sunday, the ruling party’s senior spokesperson Han Ji-ah commented, “When it comes to matters that are currently undergoing investigation, it’s proper to monitor the investigation first.”

“It’s important for politicians to respect the investigative process and not interfere,” Han added. 

On the previous day, Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo wrote on his Facebook page, “When he was president, Moon Jae-in prosecuted two former presidents on political grounds, using keywords like “manipulation of state affairs” and “influence-peddling” to justify the arrest of hundreds of conservative politicians. Now that he’s on the other end of investigations for corruption charges, and that his family is being investigated, his followers are calling it political retribution. How ironic.” 

By Ki Min-do, staff reporter; Jeon Gwang-joon, staff reporter; Bae Ji-hyun, staff reporter

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