Fresh Take: Moon Jae-in Accused of Bribery in South Korea's Political Twist
Former South Korean president under investigation for alleged bribe-taking
The trading floor in South Korea is buzzing with a fresh scandal as former President Moon Jae-in found himself in the crosshairs of bribery allegations, just days before the nation's snap presidential election on June 3. Let's dive into the details.
Remember how former President Park Geun-hye met her end in April 2017? Her attempt to enforce martial law marked a first in South Korea's history, leading to her ousting. The latest investigation against an ex-president shares eerie similarities with that incident.
The prosecution is accusing Moon of bribery, alleging his involvement in securing a job for his former son-in-law at a Thai airline. Here's the intriguing part, Moon, Da-hee (his daughter), Lee Sang-deuk (a former lawmaker), and Cho (Moon's son-in-law) are all in the hot seat for corruption and breach of trust.
According to reports, Cho received bribes in the form of salary and other payments from the airline in exchange for employing him as an executive director. But that's not all—Lee, the airline's founder, held the position of head of the Korea Agency for Small and Medium Enterprises and Startups and wasn't exactly an aviation industry whiz.
Prosecutors believe that Lee's appointment was a result of a covert agreement to secure a job for Cho at the airline since he lacked experience in the field. The airline is estimated to have paid Cho and Da-hee around 217 million won ($151,125) in salary and compensation.
As of now, Moon has yet to comment on these allegations. However, his political party, the Democratic Party (DP), is standing firm, dismissing the accusations as politically motivated and a tactic to weaken their standing.
This scandal has revived memories of South Korea's Star chamber, showcasing the enduring challenges in terms of corruption and accountability among high-ranking officials. Let's take a stroll down memory lane to better understand the political landscape.
Tidbits of History: The South Korean Presidents Who Left Their Posts Stained
- Syngman Rhee, the First President, resigned in 1948 following student protests and accusations of election rigging.
- Yun Bo-seon, who served as a transitional figure, stepped down in 1962 after the First Republic ended.
- Park Chung-hee, who seized power through a military coup, was assassinated in 1979 by his intelligence chief.
- Choi Kyu-hah, an interim president, stepped down after Chun Doo-hwan's coup in 1979.
- Chun Doo-hwan, who drafted the Yushin Constitution solidifying his power, was eventually convicted for the Yeosu uprising and corruption.
- Roh Tae-woo, the first democratically elected president post-dictatorship, was later convicted for corruption and involvement in the 1979 coup.
- Kim Young-sam, the first civilian president after a long period of military rule, saw his son go down for corruption.
- Kim Dae-jung, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, faced criticism as his sons were involved in corruption scandals.
- No Mu-hyeon, a popular reformer, died during a corruption investigation in 2009.
- Lee Myung-bak, convicted of bribery and corruption with a 17-year sentence, is South Korea's most recent example.
- Park Geun-hye, the first female president, landed herself in hot water with corruption charges, receiving a 24-year sentence (later commuted).
- Moon Jae-in, considered "clean" until recently, was charged with accepting a bribe in 2025.
- Yoon Suk-yeol, who was in power early in 2022, lost it after an attempt to enforce martial law.
- The bribery allegations against Moon Jae-in, South Korea's former president, have resurfaced memories of the Star Chamber, highlighting ongoing issues related to corruption and accountability among high-ranking officials in the nation's politics.
- Current president Yoon Suk-yeol, who was in power early in 2022, lost it after an unsuccessful attempt to enforce martial law, marking another instance of a president facing political consequences.
- With the 2025 geolocation, Moon Jae-in is charged with accepting a bribe in a scandal involving his former son-in-law and a Thai airline, adding to a long list of South Korean presidents who left their posts under charges of bribery or corruption.
- In an eerie parallel to the investigation against former President Park Geun-hye, the prosecution is accusing Moon Jae-in of bribery, alleging his involvement in securing a job for his former son-in-law at a Thai airline, in exchange for bribes and breach of trust.
- The controversy over the Moon-Cho (Moon's son-in-law) case demonstrates the continued influence of policy-and-legislation and crime-and-justice issues in South Korea's general news, with implications for the political landscape in the nation.
