‘Nomination Interference Allegation’ Myung Taekyun, First Summoned as a Suspect on the 8th

The prosecution has decided to summon Myung Tae-gyun, a key figure suspected of interfering in candidate selection, for questioning as a suspect on the 8th.

The Changwon District Prosecutors' Office plans to conduct a summons investigation of Mr. Myung, who is accused of violating the Political Funds Act, around 10 a.m. on the 8th.

Mr. Myung is suspected of receiving approximately 90 million won in salary over 25 occasions from August 2022 to December last year from the office of former lawmaker Kim, who was elected in the Changwon Uichang district in the June 1, 2022, by-election.

He is also suspected of conducting opinion polls for candidate Yoon Seok-yeol during the last presidential election without charging for the costs, in exchange for securing the nomination from former lawmaker Kim Young-sun.

Myeong Taegyun. [Photo by Myeong Taegyun, sourced from Facebook]

Earlier, in December last year, the Gyeongnam Election Commission filed a complaint with the Changwon District Prosecutors' Office against Kang Hye-kyung, former accounting manager for former lawmaker Kim, and requested an investigation into Kim, Myung, and three others.

On the 21st of last month, Kang appeared as a witness at the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee’s audit and raised suspicions that during the last presidential election, Myung conducted illegal opinion polls for then-candidate Yoon Seok-yeol in exchange for Kim receiving the nomination, and that Kim Geon-hee was involved in the nomination process.

The prosecution suspects that the money former lawmaker Kim gave to Myung since the by-election two years ago was payment for the nomination.

They also believe that Myung received 240 million won from prospective candidates, flaunting his acquaintance with Mrs. Kim, to cover the costs of the presidential election opinion polls.

After completing the investigation of former lawmaker Kim on the 3rd and 4th, the prosecution plans to question Mr. Myung on the 8th regarding whether the money was payment for the nomination and the details of the financial transactions.