Bribery charges against Moon Jae-in follow a recent history of former leaders having faced impeachment, prison or suicide.

Moon was “indicted for corruption for receiving 217 million won in connection with facilitating the employment of his son-in-law at an airline”, the Jeonju district prosecutors’ office says in a statement.

With the Constitutional Court upholding Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment, South Korea heads for a presidential election scheduled for June 3.