Son-in-Law’s Airline Employment
South Korean prosecutors have indicted former president Moon Jae-in on charges of corruption, alleging he facilitated his son-in-law’s improper employment at a budget airline in exchange for financial benefits. According to the Jeonju District Prosecutors’ Office, Moon received 217 million won (approximately USD 150,000) in connection to the employment arrangement.
The case centers on the hiring of Moon’s son-in-law as a managing director at Thai Eastar Jet, a low-cost carrier reportedly under the control of a former member of Moon’s political party. Prosecutors claim the son-in-law lacked any relevant qualifications or experience in the aviation sector and frequently neglected his responsibilities. Despite this, he was given a high-level position at the airline—allegedly in hopes of currying favor with then-President Moon.
Between 2018 and 2020, the financial compensation the son-in-law received—including salary and other benefits—was deemed by prosecutors as “illegitimate,” and classified as bribes intended for Moon himself. Complicating the scandal, the son-in-law has since divorced Moon’s daughter.
The indictment comes at a turbulent time in South Korean politics, with national elections scheduled for June 3. Former president Yoon Suk Yeol, who was recently ousted from office, is currently on trial for charges of insurrection after declaring martial law for a brief six-hour period. If found guilty, Yoon faces life imprisonment or potentially the death penalty—although executions have not been carried out in South Korea since 1997.
The indictment of Moon adds to the list of former South Korean leaders who have faced legal troubles post-presidency. Moon’s predecessors, Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye, were both convicted of corruption and served prison sentences. Roh Moo-hyun, a former president and Moon’s political mentor, tragically died by suicide in 2009 during a similar investigation into his family.
In response to Thursday’s announcement, Moon’s Democratic Party denounced the charges as politically motivated. Party spokeswoman Park Kyung-mee criticized the prosecutors, calling the indictment an abuse of power and a deliberate attempt to disgrace a former leader. “So the salary paid to the son-in-law was a bribe to the president? Is this the best logic they could come up with after dragging the case out for four long years?” she said in a statement.
The unfolding scandal highlights the recurring cycle of political and legal drama in South Korea, where former presidents often face serious legal consequences once their terms end.
