[1] He was convicted of embezzlement and breach of fiduciary duty in February 2007,[2] but was given a suspended sentence and was fully pardoned by President Lee Myung-bak.

[5] In 2006, he and his family were targeted by the Seoul Supreme Prosecutor's Office as part of an investigation into embezzling 100 billion won ($106 million) from Hyundai to create slush funds to bribe officials.

[7][8] On 5 February 2007 he was convicted of embezzlement and breach of fiduciary duty for selling securities to his son Chung Eui-sun at below-market prices.

[9] On September 6, 2007, Chief Judge Lee Jae-hong ruled to suspend the sentence of Chung Mong-koo (in consideration of the huge economic impact of imprisonment), ordering instead of a 3-year jail term, community service and a $1 billion[citation needed][10] donation to charity.

[5] Furthermore, in 2011, he was accused of nepotism[5] when Ozen, a bakery cafe whose advisors included his three daughters Sung-yi, Myung-yi, and Yun-yi, set up shop in company buildings.