Unification Ministry raided over ex-President Moon's alleged preferential selection of Eastar Jet

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Unification Ministry raided over ex-President Moon's alleged preferential selection of Eastar Jet

Published: 16 Oct. 2024, 18:57

Minstry of Unification [NEWS1]

Prosecutors raided the Ministry of Unification in Seoul to collect evidence on former President Moon Jae-in's alleged preferential selection of airline Eastar Jet for an inter-Korean art performance in 2018.

The Jeonju District Prosecutors’ Office said Wednesday that it has been searching the Unification Ministry’s Inter-Korean Relations Management Bureau since Monday to collect related evidence.

The low-cost airline was selected in 2018 to transport South Korean artists to Pyongyang for cultural performances in April of that year. These performances were held as part of the Moon administration's efforts toward inter-Korean cooperation and a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un later that month.

The prosecution has reportedly launched an investigation into allegations that political reasons might have influenced the selection of low-cost carrier Eastar Jet as the charter flight provider for the trip to North Korea over larger full-service carriers.

The search and seizure follow a warrant issued for Moon’s daughter, Moon Da-hye, on Aug. 30 to raid her residence. The raid occurred as part of an investigation into suspicions that Moon’s ex-husband, identified by his surname Seo, was preferentially appointed as an executive director at the Thailand-based budget airline Thai Eastar Jet.

According to the search warrant, prosecutors believed the salaries and housing fees received by Moon’s former son-in-law between July 2018 and April 2020, totaling around 223 million won ($163,630), were allegedly bribes from former Democratic Party (DP) lawmaker Lee Sang-jik.

Seo was appointed executive director at Thai Eastar Jet in July 2018, shortly after Lee, a two-term former DP lawmaker, was appointed head of the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency in March of the same year. Lee, the founder of Eastar Jet, played a crucial role in establishing the Thailand-based low-cost carrier.

Seo, who had previously worked at a game company, had no experience in the airline industry at the time of his appointment.

"We are conducting the search and seizure based on a warrant lawfully issued by the court," said an official from the prosecution. “It is difficult to disclose any further details of the investigation."

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]