"Failure to Prove Third-Party Bribery, Charges Changed to Simple Bribery"
Former President Moon Jae-in, who has been indicted on bribery charges in connection with allegations of preferential hiring involving his former son-in-law, has filed a complaint with the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) against former and current prosecutors at the Jeonju District Prosecutors' Office who investigated and indicted him. Moon stated, "The prosecutors at the Jeonju District Prosecutors' Office predetermined the outcome and indicted me without evidence in a politically motivated manner."
The Democratic Party's Committee for Countering Political Suppression of the Previous Administration and Moon's legal team held a press conference on the 30th, stating, "The investigation related to the former president's son-in-law was, from the outset, a politically motivated investigation designed to harass and humiliate the former president, his family, and related parties, with a predetermined conclusion." On the same day, they filed a complaint with the CIO against Lee Changsu, Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (former Jeonju District Prosecutor), Park Youngjin, Jeonju District Prosecutor, Kim Hyunwoo, Prosecutor, Park Nosan, Attorney (former Jeonju District Prosecutor), and unidentified prosecutors from the Jeonju District Prosecutors' Office, on charges including abuse of authority, obstruction of the exercise of rights, disclosure of official secrets, and public disclosure of criminal facts.
Previously, on April 24, the Criminal Division 3 of the Jeonju District Prosecutors' Office (headed by Chief Prosecutor Bae Sangyun) indicted former President Moon without detention on charges of accepting bribes. Moon is accused of arranging for his former son-in-law, Mr. Seo, to be employed at T'way Eastar Jet?allegedly owned by former lawmaker Lee?between August 2018 and April 2020, and subsequently receiving salary and payments totaling over 217 million won.
In the complaint, Moon asserted that the Jeonju District Prosecutors' Office, while investigating the case reported as a third-party bribery offense, failed to establish the "improper solicitation" required to constitute the crime, and instead conducted a wide-ranging unrelated investigation, thereby committing the crime of abuse of authority. He also argued that the prosecution's decision to indict him without any investigation was driven by "political motives" related to the early presidential election process and that it interfered with his right to defense as a suspect.
Regarding his decision to file the complaint, Moon stated, "As a former president, I feel sorry and regretful to the people for having become the subject of an investigation and prosecution by law enforcement agencies," and added, "This investigation and indictment were politically motivated acts that predetermined the outcome and proceeded without evidence." He further said, "As a former president, I will reveal the unfairness of the charges through my defense in the indicted case."
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