Myeong Tae-gyun's Legal Team Reveals Transcript of Call with First Lady Kim Keon-hee
"We Strongly Demand a Special Prosecutor"
The legal team of political broker Myeong Tae-gyun stated that the 'Golden Phone' contains contact information for about 55,000 people and 500,000 files, and that the forensic selection work is nearly complete.
Myeong's legal representative, lawyer Yeo Tae-hyung, appeared on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' on the 18th and said, "The forensic selection work on the 'Golden Phone' was almost finished as of last Friday," adding, "When combining photos and KakaoTalk contents, the extracted files amount to about 500,000." He continued, "The actual number of contacts extracted is about 55,000," and added, "It likely includes people who are not usually contacted."
When asked whether there is a recorded phone call between Myeong and First Lady Kim Keon-hee, he said, "I took notes of the call recordings as Myeong recited them during a morning visit, so I could not verify their existence. The visit was not long enough to ask detailed questions."
Regarding Myeong's claim that he spoke with Mrs. Kim for 48 minutes, Yeo said, "It seems he remembers the exact time because there was a dispute with Mrs. Kim related to the nomination at that time." When asked if Telegram calls are not recorded, he added, "We need to check why exactly 48 minutes was specified."
Myeong Taegyun, known as a key figure in the 'nomination interference suspicion.' Photo by Yonhap News
Yeo also said that Myeong testified he met Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon four times during the 2021 Seoul mayoral by-election, stating, "Myeong must have specified the number of times he met him personally." He added, "I understand that Myeong gave detailed testimony during the prosecution investigation about where and how they met."
Regarding the investigation into allegations of Myeong's interference in the nomination involving President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife being transferred from Changwon District Prosecutors' Office to Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, he emphasized, "Even if it goes to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, I don't think a proper investigation will be conducted. Therefore, we strongly request a special prosecutor."
However, Yeo noted, "Myeong's left leg is in poor condition and he has decided to undergo surgery, but now his right leg is also uncomfortable," adding, "He will inevitably have to travel by car, and there are concerns about whether he can endure long trips. If the special prosecutor is approved, investigations may continue in Changwon."
Meanwhile, Myeong's side released a transcript of the last 48-minute Telegram call with Kim Keon-hee through their legal representative the previous day. They stated that the calls took place from February 16 to 19 last year, about two months before the 22nd general election, and that Kim and Myeong spoke 5 to 6 times. According to the released transcript, Mrs. Kim reportedly asked Myeong to help former Daejeon High Prosecutor Kim Sang-min become a member of the National Assembly for Uichang District, Changwon City, Gyeongnam Province. Kim, who was still a prosecutor at the time, held a press conference announcing his candidacy in January last year but was cut off (excluded from the primary).
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