Prosecutors Dismiss Embezzlement Charges Against President Yoon's Mother-in-Law Related to Columbarium Company Stocks

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin, Legal Affairs Specialist] The prosecution has decided not to indict Choi Mo (76), the mother-in-law of President Yoon Seok-yeol, who was accused of embezzling by arbitrarily transferring the shares of a columbarium company held in name trust.

On the 19th, the Criminal Division 3 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Seo Jeong-sik) announced that Choi was cleared of embezzlement charges related to the columbarium company shares.

The prosecution investigating the case, in which Choi was accused of embezzlement and fraud under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes, decided there was no right to prosecute on the fraud charges and found no evidence to support the embezzlement charges.

A prosecution official stated, "In some criminal facts, the statute of limitations had already expired or the matters were identical to those currently on trial, so we decided there was no right to prosecute. For other criminal facts, considering the evidence and the legal principles of embezzlement, it was difficult to acknowledge the charges, so we decided there was no evidence."

Choi had been under investigation for embezzling by arbitrarily transferring corporate shares held in name trust from the complainant around June 30, 2014, and for taking over the columbarium business.

The police received the complaint in January 2020 and, in December of the same year, reported to the prosecution that the charges were not substantiated and recommended non-prosecution.

Subsequently, the prosecution requested supplementary investigations from the police twice, but the police concluded both times with a recommendation for non-prosecution. In March, after receiving the final supplementary investigation results with a non-prosecution opinion, the prosecution reviewed the records and ultimately decided not to indict on this day.