Former South Korean President Moon calls his bribery indictment 'unjust'

SEOUL – Former South Korean President Moon Jae-in connected Friday called his indictment connected bribery charges “unjust,” accusing prosecutors of abusing their powerfulness successful what helium called a politically motivated investigation.

Moon’s comments came a time aft prosecutors successful the confederate metropolis of Jeonju announced his indictment implicit allegations that a fund hose gave his son-in-law a lucrative no-show occupation during his presidency.

Meeting with National Assembly talker Woo Won-shik, Moon said helium feels that prosecutors are “pushing guardant successful a predetermined direction, nary substance what” and that his lawsuit was an illustration of “how politicized the prosecution has go and however prosecutorial powerfulness is being abused.” The erstwhile wide person was visiting the National Assembly for an lawsuit marking the seventh day of his 2018 acme with North Korean person Kim Jong Un, held during a little play of engagement betwixt the rival Koreas.

Moon’s indictment adds to a long database of South Korean leaders who person faced transgression allegations oregon scandals adjacent the extremity of their presumption oregon aft leaving office. On June 3 South Korea volition clasp a statesmanlike predetermination to prime a successor to blimpish President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was precocious removed from bureau implicit an ill-conceived imposition of martial law successful December.

Yoon, who antecedently served arsenic authoritative wide nether the Moon medication earlier a high-profile fallout with the wide leadership, is present facing a transgression proceedings connected rebellion charges related to the decree.

Moon’s governmental allies astatine the main absorption Democratic Party person portrayed the indictment arsenic a governmental vendetta, pushed by Yoon’s supporters astatine the prosecution work to humiliate the erstwhile wide person up of the election.

Prosecutors allege that Moon, who served arsenic president from 2017-2022, received bribes totaling 217 cardinal won ($151,000) from Lee Sang-jik, laminitis of the fund bearer Thai Eastar Jet. The bribes were allegedly successful the signifier of fiscal enactment for Moon’s son-in-law betwixt 2018-2020.

Prosecutors accidental the man, who reportedly divorced Moon’s girl successful 2021, was hired by Lee’s institution successful Thailand contempt having nary acquisition successful the hose industry, and performed minimal duties portion claiming to enactment remotely from South Korea.

Prosecutors said they had not recovered grounds that Moon straight arranged governmental favors for Lee, but that Lee, who worked connected Moon’s campaign, apt expected his assistance to beryllium repaid. Lee was aboriginal named the caput of the state-funded Korea Small and Medium Enterprises and Startups Agency and was nominated by Moon’s enactment to tally for parliament portion Moon was successful office.

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