The former South Korea Moon president is charged with corruption

Former President Moon Jae-in of South Korea was charged with corruption on Thursday, becoming the last ex-leader to face a criminal trial in a country where to submit former leaders to criminal investigations has become a recurring scheme.

Mr. Moon, who left his duties after the end of his five -year term in 2022, faces the accusation of corruption in the employment of his former son -in -law in a small low -budget airline now disappeared in Thailand, prosecutors announced on Thursday.

The former son-in-law, at the time married to the daughter of Mr. Moon, Da-Hye, received 217 million won, or about $ 150,000, in salary and housing of the airline between 2018 and 2020, according to the district prosecutor’s office in Jeonju, south of Seoul. (The couple divorced later.)

In their accusation act, the Jeonju prosecutors said they considered the money that a bridge pot paid to Mr. Moon by Lee Sang-Jik, a South Korean businessman and former legislator who controlled the airline. Mr. Lee made the son-in-law a manager there in favor of Mr. Moon’s family, although he was not qualified for work, they said.

Under Mr. Moon, Mr. Lee was the head of a government agency responsible for promoting small businesses and was elected as a legislator affiliated with the Democratic Party of Mr. Moon in 2020. Mr. Lee lost his parliamentary seat after being arrested and sentenced for accusations of diversion and violations of detention.

Mr. Moon used his presidential staff to help organize the employment of his son -in -law and his relocation of South Korea in Thailand, the Jeonju prosecutors said.