Seoul: Moon Jae-in, the former President of South Korea, expressed his discontent on Friday regarding the bribery charges brought against him, labeling the indictment as "unjust" and indicative of prosecutorial overreach.

Having held the presidency from 2017 until 2022, Moon made these statements during a meeting with National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-sik, shortly after prosecutors announced the charges linked to allegations that he facilitated the hiring of his former son-in-law at a Thai airline.

"The indictment is fundamentally unjust, and it appears that the prosecutors are steering this case towards a predetermined outcome," Moon remarked.

He noted that the indictment was unexpected, occurring while he was in discussions with prosecutors to clarify the facts surrounding the case.

"The prosecution has become politicized," Moon asserted, emphasizing that this situation exemplifies the misuse of prosecutorial authority.

Both Moon and his daughter, Da-hye, are accused of receiving bribes in the form of salary and other payments for Da-hye's ex-husband, Seo, from the airline.

Seo was appointed as an executive director at the airline in 2018, following the appointment of Lee Sang-jik, the airline's founder, as head of the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency.

Prosecutors suspect that Seo's hiring was a quid pro quo for Lee's appointment, especially considering Seo's lack of relevant experience in the airline sector at that time.

It is alleged that Moon ceased financial support to his daughter's family after Seo's hiring, with prosecutors viewing the total compensation of approximately 217 million won ($151,125) paid to Seo and Da-hye as a bribe to the former President.

Following his meeting with Woo, Moon participated in a ceremony marking the seventh anniversary of the Panmunjom Declaration, a significant agreement signed in April 2018 with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un aimed at enhancing inter-Korean relations and fostering peace on the Korean Peninsula.

However, many initiatives stemming from this declaration have stalled under the leadership of Moon's conservative successor, Yoon Suk Yeol, as reported by a news agency.

Moon criticized Yoon's hardline stance on North Korea, which includes the termination of the 2018 military tension reduction agreement, and stressed the necessity of resuming dialogue with Pyongyang.

"Restarting talks between the two Koreas is crucial. To mitigate the risk of military conflict, the military agreement must be reinstated first," Moon stated.

He also described the notion of South Korea pursuing nuclear weapons as a "dangerous" idea, cautioning that it could undermine denuclearization efforts and isolate South Korea from the global community.