The prosecution has referred three former ministers of the previous Moon Jae-in administration to trial on abuse of power charges surrounding the so-called “blacklist scandal.”

The Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Offices said on Thursday that they indicted former industry minister Paik Un-gyu, former science minister You Young-min and former unification minister Cho Myoung-gyon following an investigation.

The "blacklist scandal" centers on allegations that the Moon administration strong-armed the heads of several state agencies who were appointed under the preceding Park Geun-hye government to resign.

Cho Hyun-ock, the former senior presidential secretary for personnel affairs under Moon, as well as former presidential secretary Kim Bong-jun were also indicted on similar charges.