Ex-Moon aide indicted in graft probe

All News 16:08 January 18, 2018

SEOUL, Jan. 18 (Yonhap) -- A former senior secretary to President Moon Jae-in was indicted without detention on Thursday for suspected bribery and other corruption charges, prosecutors said.

Jun Byung-hun, an ex-presidential aide for political affairs, will stand trial for forcing two home shopping channels and a telecom company to donate 550 million won (US$514,260) between 2014 and 2017 to the Korea e-Sports Association, over which he practically held control, according to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office.

The three-term lawmaker of the Democratic Party has been charged with bribery, violation of the political fund law, embezzlement and abuse of power, the prosecution said. Jun was appointed by the president in May and resigned in November as allegations mounted.

He is suspected of receiving over 100 million won worth of free gifts and hotel accommodations from Lotte Homeshopping that he used with his family.

Prosecutors suspect the money and gifts were given in exchange for favors related to the renewal of Lotte Homeshopping's broadcasting license. At the time, Jun was a three-term lawmaker belonging to the parliamentary committee in charge of related policies.

Jun is accused of pressuring the finance ministry in July last year to set aside a fresh budget of 2 billion won for a project that the e-sports body had been pushing forward. The budget was drawn up but was scrapped after the prosecution began to probe Jun.

Prosecutors sought an arrest warrant for Jun twice in November and December, but they were turned down both times by the court, which cited disputable grounds for the charges.

Jun, who has strongly denied any wrongdoing, released a statement to media following the prosecution's announcement of his indictment.

"I have been wrongfully accused, and it is an unreasonable indictment," he said. "I will prove my innocence in court."