Breaking: Former South Korean President Moon Jae-in Indicted

According to a report by Xinhua News Agency on April 24th, and corroborated by Yonhap News Agency, former South Korean President Moon Jae-in has been indicted by prosecutors on bribery charges.  

Further reports from Chang'an Street Knowledge indicate that South Korean prosecutors had summoned former President Moon Jae-in in March concerning allegations of bribery.

Background of the Indictment

On March 25th, the Jeonju District Prosecutors' Office disclosed that a social organization had filed a complaint with the Jongno Police Station in Seoul last year, alleging bribery involving Moon Da-hye. This case was subsequently transferred to the prosecutors' office late last month.

The complaint alleges that Moon Da-hye's ex-husband, Seo, received preferential treatment by being appointed as a senior executive at Thai Eastar Jet. It further asserts that Moon Da-hye and Seo, while residing overseas, directly received financial benefits from the airline, which could be construed as bribes directed towards Moon Jae-in, thus implicating both father and daughter in the bribery scheme.  

Prosecutors contend that considering Moon Jae-in ceased providing financial support to Moon Da-hye after Seo's employment, the salary and living expenses amounting to 223 million Korean won (approximately 110,000 Chinese yuan) paid by Thai Eastar Jet to Seo constitute bribery.  

Moon Jae-in's Background

Moon Jae-in was born in 1953 on Geoje Island, South Gyeongsang Province, and graduated from Kyung Hee University with a law degree. During his university years, he was arrested and imprisoned for organizing demonstrations against then-President Park Chung-hee. Shortly after his release, he enlisted in the military, and upon discharge, was again arrested for opposing the military dictatorship of Chun Doo-hwan. He passed the bar exam while in prison. After his release, he graduated from the Judicial Research and Training Institute with honors but was barred from becoming a judge due to his criminal record. He then established a law firm in Busan with Roh Moo-hyun, who later became president.  

Moon Jae-in is considered a political ally of former President Roh Moo-hyun, serving in various roles during Roh's presidency, including Senior Presidential Secretary for Civil Affairs, Senior Presidential Secretary for Civil Society, and Chief of Staff. In 2012, Moon Jae-in ran for president as the Democratic United Party candidate but narrowly lost to Park Geun-hye of the New Frontier Party.  

On February 8, 2015, Moon Jae-in was elected leader of the main opposition New Politics Democratic Alliance. The party was subsequently renamed the Democratic Party of Korea, and Moon Jae-in continued to serve as its leader until January 2016. In November of the same year, amidst the impeachment proceedings against then-President Park Geun-hye (who was impeached in December 2016, according to historical records), Moon Jae-in became a standing advisor to the Democratic Party of Korea.

Political Climate in South Korea

According to a recent report by CCTV News, following the Constitutional Court's ruling on the 4th of this month, another president representing South Korea's conservative political forces, Yoon Seok-youl, was impeached and removed from office after a period of eight years since the impeachment of then-President Park Geun-hye in March 2017. The state of emergency declared by Yoon Seok-youl late on December 3rd last year and the ensuing political turmoil are reported to have far-reaching and ongoing effects on various aspects of South Korean society.

Under South Korean law, a presidential election must be held within 60 days of a president's vacancy due to impeachment or other reasons. Following the impeachment of Park Geun-hye on March 10, 2017, the next presidential election, originally scheduled for December of that year, was held early on May 9, 2017. Moon Jae-in, the Democratic Party of Korea candidate, won the election with 41% of the vote, becoming the 19th President of South Korea.  

Due to the unusual circumstances of a president being impeached, the transition between the outgoing and incoming presidents differed from past instances, with no transitional committee or similar bodies established. The presidential inauguration ceremony was also simplified. Moon Jae-in was sworn into office the day after the election, officially beginning his presidential term.

Now, eight years later, South Korea is facing another situation of a president being removed from office. Following the 20th South Korean presidential election in 2022, the 21st presidential election is anticipated in 2025. With Yoon Seok-youl's removal on April 4th, external observers predict that the new presidential election will likely take place in late May or early June.