Trial for Former President Moon Jae-in on Bribery Charges to Begin on June 17

Merger with Cho Hyunok's Case Not Allowed

The trial for former President Moon Jae-in's bribery case will begin next month.

Yonhap News Agency

According to the legal community on May 26, the Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Agreement Division 21 (Presiding Judge Lee Hyunbok) will hold a preparatory hearing for Moon's case at 2 p.m. on June 17.

The preparatory hearing is a procedure held before the formal trial to confirm the defendant's position regarding the criminal charges and to plan the evidence investigation. The defendant is not required to attend this hearing.

Previously, on April 24, the Jeonju District Prosecutors' Office indicted former President Moon without detention on charges of violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (bribery) at the Seoul Central District Court. Lee Sangjik, former lawmaker and founder of Eastar Jet, was also brought to trial on charges of bribery and breach of trust in the course of duty.

Prosecutors believe that over 200 million won in salary and housing expenses received by Mr. Seo, Moon's son-in-law, from the airline Thai Eastar Jet, constituted bribes to Moon. Thai Eastar Jet is the overseas legal entity of Eastar Jet, which was effectively owned by Lee. During the Moon Jae-in administration, Lee served as chairman of the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency.

Prosecutors requested that the case involving former Blue House personnel chief Cho Hyunok, which is already underway, be merged with Moon's case. However, the court did not accept this request. The Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Agreement Division 27 (Presiding Judge Woo Inseong), which is handling Cho's case, explained during the May 23 hearing that "the two cases involve different elements of the charges."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.