Prosecution Indicts and Detains Myeong Taegyun and Kim Youngseon on Suspicions of Nomination Interference

Myeong Taekyun, a key figure in the 'nomination interference suspicion' involving President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife, and former People Power Party lawmaker Kim Young-sun have been indicted while in custody.

Myeong Taegyun (left) and former lawmaker Kim Youngseon, who are accused of violating the Political Funds Act, appeared at the Changwon District Court in Gyeongnam for a pre-arrest interrogation.

The Changwon District Prosecutors' Office announced on the 3rd that both Myeong and former lawmaker Kim were indicted in custody on charges of violating the Political Funds Act.

Myeong is accused of receiving 87 million won through Kang Hye-kyung, who was the accounting manager for former lawmaker Kim from August 2022 to November last year, in connection with recommending Kim as a candidate for the National Assembly election in Changwon Changwonchang, Gyeongnam. The prosecution believes Myeong helped recommend Kim as a People Power Party candidate.

Myeong and former lawmaker Kim are also accused of receiving a total of 240 million won in cash from Mr. A, a preliminary candidate for Goryeong County Governor in North Gyeongsang Province, and Mr. B, a preliminary candidate for Daegu City Council, using the 2022 June 1 local election nomination as bait.

The prosecution also indicted Mr. A and Mr. B without detention on charges of violating the Political Funds Act. Kim Tae-yeol, former director of the Mirae Korea Research Institute, who was involved in receiving money from them with Myeong and former lawmaker Kim, was also indicted on the same charges.

The prosecution added charges of instructing evidence concealment against Myeong. In September, he allegedly instructed his brother-in-law to hide three mobile phones, including the so-called 'golden phone,' and one portable storage device (USB). These mobile phones were used by Myeong from September 2019 to November last year and are suspected to contain key evidence such as recorded phone calls with President Yoon.

The prosecution has not yet decided whether to indict Kang, who was named as an accomplice in the arrest warrant for former lawmaker Kim. The prosecution plans to continue investigating additional suspicions related to nomination interference and other related persons while deciding on indictment.