The prosecution has requested an arrest warrant for Myung Tae-gyun, a key figure in the allegations of Kim Geon-hee's interference in candidate nominations and illegal opinion polls.
They also applied for an arrest warrant for former lawmaker Kim Young-sun, who is suspected of having engaged in monetary transactions in exchange for nominations with Myung.
According to the legal community, on the afternoon of the 11th, the prosecution filed arrest warrants with the Changwon District Court for both individuals on charges of violating the Political Funds Act.
Former National Assembly member Kim Young-sun of the People Power Party (left) and Mr. Myung Tae-gyun are responding to reporters' questions before and after being summoned for prosecution investigation. Photo by Lee Se-ryeong
Myung is accused of receiving approximately 90 million won in salary over 25 installments from August 2022 to December last year from the camp of former lawmaker Kim, who was elected in the Changwon Uichang district in the June 1, 2022, by-election.
He is also suspected of receiving part of the costs used for presidential opinion polls from preliminary candidates in the Gyeongbuk and Gyeongnam regions during the June 1, 2022, local elections, using nominations as bait.
These three preliminary candidates reportedly gave a total of about 260 million won to the Mirae Hanguk Research Institute, known to be effectively operated by Myung, but did not actually receive nominations and later recovered some of the money.
He was also embroiled in allegations that during the last presidential election, he conducted opinion polls for candidate Yoon Seok-yeol and, instead of receiving payment for the polls, secured a nomination from former lawmaker Kim.
The prosecution suspects that the approximately 90 million won given by former lawmaker Kim to Myung was in exchange for nominations, and conducted summons investigations of former lawmaker Kim on the 3rd and 4th, and of Myung on the 8th and 9th.
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