Yoon Han-hong "Myeong, 'Recording Excerpt' Boast... Yoon's Rejection Must Also Be Revealed"
On the 21st, Yoon Han-hong, a member of the People Power Party, denied allegations that he tried to persuade broker Myung Tae-gyun following the release of a recorded phone call between Myung and President Yoon Seok-yeol, stating, "I have never attempted to persuade or negotiate with him," and called the claims "blatant falsehoods."
At a press conference held at the National Assembly that morning, Rep. Yoon said, "I personally contacted an acquaintance and said, 'Myung selectively excerpts texts and recordings that are easy to boast about and flaunt to those around him, but shouldn't the recordings where the president rejects him also be revealed?'"
He added, "I thought that was necessary to reveal the whole truth," emphasizing, "That was all, and there were no further conversations."
Rep. Yoon explained that after hearing Chief Secretary Jeong Jin-seok say during the National Assembly's National Security Audit of the Presidential Office on the 2nd, "(President Yoon Seok-yeol) told Myung, 'Don't call me or my wife anymore,' and then abruptly ended the call," he personally contacted an acquaintance and made the statement.
He emphasized, "The acquaintance I spoke with is a junior I have known closely for a long time," and said, "I told him somewhat reproachfully, 'Don't just play the boasting part; you should also play the parts where he gets scolded.'"
He continued, "Some media outlets distorted this and reported that I tried to persuade Myung, and the Democratic Party, without verifying the facts, maliciously framed it as 'attempting a backdoor deal involving witness tampering and evidence destruction on the condition of non-detention' and filed a complaint with the National Assembly Ethics Committee based on this."
Rep. Yoon added, "I was the one who warned the president during the presidential election that 'Myung Tae-gyun is a dangerous person, so stay away from him.' Why would I try to persuade him?"
Later, speaking to reporters he met, Rep. Yoon said, "The term 'persuasion' was used by Myung himself when proposing a deal," and dismissed the notion, saying, "Myung demanded some kind of compensation, but I never considered any such thing."
Regarding allegations that the Presidential Office tried to systematically persuade Myung, he rebutted, "Is that even possible? It seems absolutely impossible," adding, "Myung does not communicate with our side. All the people he communicates with are members of the Democratic Party, aren't they?"
When asked if he consulted with other lawmakers about this matter, he replied, "Not at all. There was nothing to consult about," and said, "I just spoke with a junior who understands common sense."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
