Overview

• At the first preparatory hearing on June 17, the Seoul Central District Court denied Moon’s request to shift the case to Ulsan and held that both donor and recipient must appear in Seoul.
• Prosecutors allege Thai Eastar Jet funneled over 200 million won to Moon’s then son-in-law as a bribe tied to Moon’s appointment of Lee Sang-jik to head the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency.
• Moon was indicted without detention on April 24 under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, and Lee Sang-jik faces parallel charges of bribery and breach of trust.
• The court scheduled the next hearing for September 9, 2025, and Moon’s legal team has signaled plans to file another jurisdiction transfer request.
• The trial adds to a pattern of legal scrutiny confronting former South Korean presidents and carries significant implications for Moon’s legacy.