Myeong Taegyun "Why Should I Be Investigated for Fake News Suspicion?"... Prosecution Re-summons

The prosecution summoned Myung Tae-gyun, a key figure in the allegations of First Lady Kim Geon-hee's interference in candidate selection and illegal opinion polling, for the second consecutive day.

Yonhap News

On the 9th, Myung arrived at the Changwon District Prosecutors' Office in Changwon, Gyeongnam, around 9:53 a.m. in a sports utility vehicle (SUV). This marks his second consecutive day of attendance.

In response to reporters' questions asking, "If you have a prepared statement, please tell us," Myung raised his voice, saying, "The media keeps creating mountains of lies, and more lies keep coming out on top of that," adding, "I should be investigated for violating the Political Funds Act, so why am I being investigated over false reports and fake news?"

He continued, "Shouldn't the investigation focus on whether a single penny flowed to me in violation of the Political Funds Act?" and emphasized, "I lent 90 million won, but I wish they wouldn't write articles by cutting off the front part and only enlarging the back part."

When asked, "How did you recommend former lawmaker Kim Young-sun to the President?" he replied, "I came to be investigated for violating the Political Funds Act," and added, "I'm here to undergo the appropriate investigation, but is that so important to them? The media should follow the right path."

Regarding the question about his position on the released recording discussing the relocation of the Blue House, he stated, "Many people who think the Blue House is not very good are expressing their own opinions in their own ways," and emphasized, "So when I went to Chairman Kim Jong-in's office, I saw the Blue House and spoke about what I felt."

The Criminal Division 4 of the Changwon District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Kim Ho-kyung) re-summoned Myung on the morning of the same day to investigate him as a suspect for violating the Political Funds Act. This is the third investigation of Myung by the prosecution, following February and the previous day. Myung was questioned for about eight hours the day before and then went home.

The prosecution is expected to focus on questioning Myung about the nature of approximately 90 million won he received in 25 installments from August 2022 to December last year from the side of former lawmaker Kim Young-sun, who was elected in the Changwon Chang district during the 2022 general and by-elections.

Kang Hye-kyung raised suspicions that Myung conducted 81 opinion polls worth about 375 million won for President Yoon Seok-yeol ahead of the 22nd presidential election and promised candidate selection for former lawmaker Kim through his acquaintance with the First Lady. Kang claims that in return for the candidate selection, former lawmaker Kim shared part of his salary with Myung as money. Myung maintains that the money was repayment of the loan he gave to former lawmaker Kim.