Cheong Wa Dae on Monday issued a warning against fraud using the names of President Moon Jae-in and his close aides.

According to the presidential office, Moon ordered the presidential office to disclose a number of examples of such cases and urged the public to report related developments to the police.


In fraud cases uncovered so far, the suspects claimed ties to the president, or three of his senior aides – chief of staff Im Jong-seok, Political Affairs Secretary Han Byung-do and General Affairs Secretary Lee Joung-do.

“President Moon said that incomprehensible and absurd developments are taking place, and urged (the public) to contact the authorities,” Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said.

He added that the presidential office made the announcement to inform the public and prevent further victimization.

Examples disclosed by the presidential office includes a case involving a suspect with six criminal records, including a fraud charge, taking hundreds of millions of won from a victim. In the case, which is currently under investigation, the suspect used text messages that he claimed to be from the president.

Another case involves a suspect claiming that Im had demanded 30 million won ($26,600) in return for the victim’s mother being released from prison. The suspect and the victim’s mother are said to have met in prison.

In another case, the suspect claimed Han was helping him take over a resort owned by the Korean Veterans Association, resulting in 400 million won taken from the victim. The suspect had claimed he served as Han’s secretary during his term in the National Assembly.

According to Cheong Wa Dae, however, the suspect and Han went to the same high school, and the suspect had supported Han’s election campaign but was not at any point on the political affairs secretary’s staff.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)