The first trial of Moon Jae-in, former president, on charges of bribery will be heard by the 21st Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court. The 21st Criminal Division is responsible for election and corruption cases.
According to the legal community on the 25th, the Seoul Central District Court allocated the case of former President Moon to the 21st Criminal Division (Director General Lee Hyeon-bok presiding).
The presiding judge, Director General Lee Hyeon-bok (51, Judicial Research and Training Institute, 30th class), was appointed as a judge at the Ulsan District Court in 2004, and subsequently served as a judge at the Seoul Central District Court, Director General of the Gangneung Branch of the Chuncheon District Court, Director General of the Pyeongtaek Branch of the Suwon District Court, a spokesperson for the Supreme Court Administrative Office, and a research judge at the Supreme Court. In 2023, he served as the head of the Suwon District Court and Suwon Family Court and was appointed to the 21st Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court this year.
Prior to this, the Jeonju District Prosecutor's Office (Chief Prosecutor Park Yeong-jin) indicted former President Moon without detention on the 24th on charges of violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc., of Specific Crimes (bribery).
Former President Moon is accused of receiving bribes amounting to 217.87 million won by enabling his daughter Dahye's husband, Seo, a former member of the Democratic Party, to be preferentially hired by Thai AirAsia, a airline substantially owned by former Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Sang-jik. Lee was also indicted without detention on the same day for offering bribes.