Prosecution Summons Kim Hanjung Again
on Allegations of Paying Polling Costs for Oh Sehoon's Campaign
The prosecution investigating allegations of political brokerage by Myung Tae-gyun, including interference in candidate nominations and manipulation of opinion polls, summoned businessman Kim Han-jung, known as a long-time supporter of Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, again on the 17th.
According to the legal community, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office's special investigation team for the Myung Tae-gyun case (led by Deputy Chief Prosecutor Lee Ji-hyung) summoned Kim as a suspect for questioning on the same day. The prosecution conducted a search and seizure of Kim's residence and office on the 26th of last month and summoned him again on the 27th of the same month and on the 14th of this month.
The prosecution is examining allegations that during the April 7, 2021 Seoul mayoral by-election, the opinion polling firm Mirae Hanguk Research Institute, effectively operated by Myung, conducted 13 undisclosed opinion polls related to Mayor Oh, and that Kim paid the polling costs on his behalf.
Kim is suspected of transferring 33 million won to the personal account of Kang Hye-kyung, the deputy director of Mirae Hanguk Research Institute, on five occasions in 2021.
It has been confirmed that Kim admits to sending money to Myung's side but claims that this was unrelated to Mayor Oh's campaign. He insists that the payments were not for covering polling costs but were merely to assist Myung, who has a close relationship with President Yoon, in portraying Mayor Oh favorably.
The prosecution is also known to have investigated allegations from earlier inquiries that Kim attempted to persuade Kang Hye-kyung.
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