Prosecutors raid offices over presidential nepotism at Eastar Jet

Founder of low-budget carrier Easter Jet and former Democratic Party Rep. Lee Sang-jik in an interview with Yonhap as the head of the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency in March 2019. [YONHAP]

The district prosecutors’ office in Jeonju, North Jeolla, raided the offices of state-owned institutions related to Eastar Jet’s hiring of President Moon Jae-in’s former son-in-law, Suh Chang-ho.

The institutions raided Monday included the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, Korea SMEs and Startups Agency and the Ministry of Personnel Management.

The 43-year-old former son-in-law of President Moon is accused of being hired as a high-ranking executive at the Korean low-budget carrier’s office in Thailand in exchange for former Democratic Party lawmaker and founder of Eastar Jet Lee Sang-jik being appointed as the head of the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency in 2018.

It was the second year of Moon’s administration.

Rep. Lee has been serving six years in prison since January 2022 for embezzlement and breach of trust.

Considering that the position to which Lee was appointed was proposed by the SMEs minister and approved by the president, the investigation could lead up to President Moon.

The minister at the time was former DP Rep. Hong Jong-hak.

The hiring of Moon’s son-in-law to the position was controversial as he had no experience in the aviation industry.

His prior experience was in the game industry.

The issue was first raised when Suh and Moon’s daughter moved to Thailand in July 2018. Korean taxes were used in financing the security expenses of the couple overseas.

The couple reportedly married in March 2010 in Busan, while the JoongAng Ilbo reported that the couple split in 2021.

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]