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Court rejects former President Moon's request to move trial

Published: 17 Jun. 2025, 19:29

Former President Moon Jae-in speaks to reporters after voting on the first day of early voting for the 21st presidential election at an early voting center in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang, on May 29. [YONHAP]

A Seoul court rejected a request by former President Moon Jae-in to move his bribery trial to a court in Ulsan, citing the need for a fair and efficient trial in the capital.

The Seoul Central District Court said Tuesday during the first preparatory hearing that it would not transfer the trial of Moon and former Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Sang-jik, who are both facing bribery charges, to courts in Ulsan and Jeonju, respectively.

Moon was indicted in April for allegedly receiving bribes through his son-in-law, identified only by the surname Seo, who was hired by Thai Eastar Jet during Lee's tenure as head of the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency in 2018. Lee, also indicted, is accused of arranging the job and providing compensation and housing support totaling about 217 million won ($158,800).

Prosecutors at the Jeonju District Prosecutors’ Office said the case had ties to the Blue House and thus filed it in Seoul rather than Jeonju.

Moon, who resides in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang, requested that the case be moved to the Ulsan District Court. Lee, currently in custody in Jeonju, requested that he be tried held in the Jeonju District Court.

Moon cited security concerns and the practical need to attend hearings effectively, while Lee emphasized the efficiency of preparing his defense. Prosecutors objected, noting the large number of witnesses — nearly 120 — and the need to prevent delays.

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 court has jurisdiction over the case, and because the defendants are being tried together for related charges of bribery, transferring the case would not serve its intended purpose,” the presiding judge said. “Considering court facilities, staffing and media access, the Seoul Central District Court is best suited for a swift and fair trial.”

Moon’s legal team raised concerns about the media attention that court appearances in Seoul would generate, arguing that it could harm the dignity of a former president. They added that frequent travel would complicate security arrangements. But the court said smaller courts like those in Ulsan and Jeonju would struggle to accommodate the case and may need to form new panels or reassign existing cases, affecting other trials.

Both Moon and Lee requested that the trial be a jury trial as part of Korea’s “people-participation trials” system. Moon’s lawyer suggested the case could be heard intensively in Ulsan over a week, with a verdict delivered at the end.

Lee echoed the idea, proposing a weeklong jury trial using witness testimonies from a related case already underway in Jeonju, and claimed political motivations behind the indictments.

Prosecutors opposed the request, saying the case was not suitable for a jury trial.

The area near former President Moon Jae-in’s birthplace in Geoje-myeon, Geoje, South Gyeongsang [JOONGANG ILBO]

The court said it would consider whether a jury trial was feasible, saying that if dozens of hearings were required, it would be unreasonable to expect jurors to leave their jobs for extended periods.

Moon’s legal team has not formally filed a jury trial application yet. The court scheduled the next hearing for Sept. 9, citing the time needed for document processing.

After Tuesday’s hearing, Kim Hyeong-yeon, Moon’s attorney, said the defense intends to file a renewed request to transfer the case, supplemented with additional arguments.

“Former President Moon believes this case is a textbook example of prosecutorial abuse,” said Kim. “He feels it’s important for the public to witness that abuse firsthand and questions the need for the trial to be held in Seoul when he resides in Yangsan.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY KIM JEONG-YEON [[email protected]]