Appeals court upholds drunk-driving ruling for ex-president's daugher Moon Da-hye
Published: 05 Feb. 2026, 15:40
![Moon Da-hye, the daughter of former President Moon Jae-in, appears for an investigation at Yongsan Police Station in central Seoul on Oct. 18, 2024, over an alleged drunk driving incident. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/02/05/fc7e0556-feb7-47c8-a199-35dfe037f38b.jpg)
Moon Da-hye, the daughter of former President Moon Jae-in, appears for an investigation at Yongsan Police Station in central Seoul on Oct. 18, 2024, over an alleged drunk driving incident. [YONHAP]
A Seoul appeals court has upheld a 15 million won ($10,200) fine for Moon Da-hye, the daughter of former President Moon Jae-in, after rejecting appeals from both the prosecution and the defendant.
The Seoul Western District Court ruled Thursday to maintain the sentence because it could not find any new circumstances that would warrant changing the lower court’s punishment.
As a result, Moon was found guilty at trial of drunk driving and violating the Public Health Control Act.
Moon was indicted for driving a car while intoxicated and hitting a taxi while changing lanes in front of the Hamilton Hotel in Itaewon, Yongsan District, central Seoul, on Oct. 5, 2024. Her blood alcohol level at the time was 0.149 percent, well above the 0.08 percent threshold for license revocation.
In another case, she also stands accused of operating three illegal lodging businesses — including an officetel in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul; a villa in Yangpyeong-dong, Yeongdeungpo District; and a house in Hyeopjae-ri, Hallim-eup, Jeju Island — earning a total of 136 million won over about five years.
An officetel is a building that combines office and residential spaces,
At a closing arguments hearing in November 2025, prosecutors again sought a one-year prison term, the same as at the first trial.
“I admit to all my wrongdoing and feel deeply remorseful,” Moon said in her final statement. “I am sincerely sorry to all victims in this case.”
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY HAN YOUNG-HYE [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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