Vehicles owned by former President Moon and daughter fined 11 times

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Vehicles owned by former President Moon and daughter fined 11 times

Published: 09 Oct. 2024, 15:55 Updated: 09 Oct. 2024, 16:02

CHO JUNG-WOO
cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr

A vehicle allegedly driven by Moon Da-hye appears to carelessly change lanes at around 2:51 a.m. on Saturday in front of the Hamilton Hotel in Itaewon, Yongsan District in central Seoul, according to camera footage. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Two vehicles owned by former President Moon Jae-in and his daughter Moon Da-hye, who was recently booked for drunk driving, have been fined at least 11 times.

According to the registration certificate for Moon's Hyundai Casper, which the daughter allegedly drove under the influence of alcohol last Saturday, the vehicle had already been fined for a parking violation in Seoul last June while still owned by the former president. It is unclear who was driving at the time.

The Hyundai Casper was transferred to Moon Da-hye in April, and the car was seized in August for unpaid fines incurred on Jeju Island.

Moon Da-hye's previous vehicle, a Kia Sorento, was also seized nine times for unpaid fines. However, it remains unconfirmed if the car was actually impounded. The Kia Sorento was driven by the former president until it was transferred to his daughter in May 2022, but the ownership reverted back to him in April.

Moon Da-hye, 41, is also accused of illegally parking her car on a street in Itaewon, Yongsan District, central Seoul, for about seven hours before her alleged drunk driving incident on Saturday.

She is suspected of parking her vehicle at 6:57 p.m. Friday and heading to a nearby restaurant. The car remained parked for about seven hours until she returned at around 2:17 a.m. on Saturday, allegedly while intoxicated.

The area where she parked was marked with a yellow dotted line, prohibiting parking for more than five minutes. However, the Yongsan District Office said that Moon was not fined for the parking violation because no reports were made, and the area was not inspected at the time.

While CCTV did not monitor the area during the incident, the road is part of a zone slated for camera installations. Had Moon been caught, she could have faced a fine of up to 50,000 won ($37), with the standard penalty of 40,000 won and an additional 10,000 won for exceeding two hours of parking.

A vehicle reportedly driven by Moon Da-hye appears to enter an intersection in Yongsan District, central Seoul. Moon disregarded traffic signals while allegedly under the influence of alcohol on Saturday, according to camera footage. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Additionally, security camera footage from the night of the incident shows Moon entering a restaurant around 12:30 a.m., but she was soon asked to leave.

“I asked her to leave because she was so drunk, but she banged the table and asked for more alcohol,” said the restaurant owner. A man accompanying Moon reportedly left with her for another nearby restaurant.

The footage also captured Moon attempting to get into a random car.

The police are investigating Moon for illegal parking, traffic violations and reckless driving. The date for her police summons is still being discussed.

The former president's daughter is also accused of running a red light and making an improper left turn at an intersection. She then collided with a taxi while changing lanes without signaling in front of the Hamilton Hotel in Itaewon at 2:51 a.m., according to Yongsan police.

Moon has been booked on charges of drunk driving in violation of the Road Traffic Act. Her blood alcohol level was reportedly 0.14 percent, well above the legal limit of 0.08 percent, which is the threshold for revoking a driver's license.

BY KIM JI-HYE, KIM SEO-WON [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]