The Board of Audit and Inspection of South Korea has concluded that the administration of former President Moon Jae-in manipulated and distorted statistics related to housing, income, and employment during most of its five-year term. The report found that the alterations were carried out under the direction or pressure of the presidential office and allegedly involved all four former presidential chiefs of staff for policy—Jang Ha-sung, Kim Su-hyun, Kim Sang-jo, and Lee Ho-seung. The findings drew sharp criticism over the conduct of the Moon administration, while also prompting questions about why the report took so long to be released.
The audit began in September 2022, but the final results were made public only after two years and seven months. Although officials cited the vast scale of the manipulation and the number of individuals involved, the delay was unusually long. The investigation has also been marked by slow progress on the judicial front. Although 11 public officials, including former presidential policy chief Kim Sang-jo, have been indicted, even the first trial has yet to be completed.
This case is not the only one plagued by delays in investigation, prosecution, or audits. Nearly a dozen major criminal cases involving high-ranking officials and key figures from the Moon administration remain under investigation or in trial. None have been finalized by the Supreme Court. In the case concerning the alleged manipulation of economic assessments for the Wolsong-1 nuclear reactor, nearly four years have passed since former Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Baek Woon-gyu and others were first indicted in June 2021—yet the first trial ruling has still not been issued. Trials are only now underway in cases involving the alleged cover-up of a North Korean soldier’s shooting of a South Korean official affiliated with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, as well as the unauthorized disclosure of classified information about the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system.
Several probes remain ongoing. Prosecutors are currently investigating allegations that Moon’s former son-in-law, surnamed Seo, received preferential treatment in hiring at the budget airline Thai Eastar Jet. However, those close to the former president have reportedly refused to cooperate, either declining interviews or ignoring written inquiries, further dragging out the process. The case was first opened in December 2021 following a complaint filed by a civic group. Yet, more than four years later, investigators have yet to question the main suspect.
In the alleged political interference case surrounding the Ulsan mayoral election, prosecutors have still not wrapped up their probe into former presidential chief of staff Im Jong-seok and former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, leader of the liberal minor opposition Rebuilding Korea Party. Due to the drawn-out trials of other defendants, some managed to complete their full terms as lawmakers before reaching a verdict—several of which ended in acquittal. Despite being at the center of these various allegations, Moon himself has never undergone a proper investigation. It is a striking fact.
Audits, investigations, and trials must proceed swiftly in principle. Delays can make it difficult to uncover the full truth and may amount to enabling wrongdoing. The Board of Audit and Inspection, the prosecution, and the courts all bear the responsibility of uncovering the facts without political considerations. Yet, there are clear signs that decisions are being swayed by political calculations. Such a climate only encourages public officials to cater to power, eroding the integrity of the civil service. When investigations drag on and trials appear biased, public trust in the justice system inevitably declines.
