President's key aide cornered in opinion-rigging scandal

By Lee Kyung-min

A key aide to President Moon Jae-in sought advice on economic policy during the presidential election from an influential blogger, the key figure in an opinion-rigging scandal, according to an independent counsel team, Tuesday. Evidence of such a contact shows the aide, now South Gyeongsang Province Governor Kim Kyoung-soo, and the blogger nicknamed Druking were closer than Kim claims, and indicates Kim may have been more deeply involved in the scandal.

The team led by special prosecutor Huh Ik-bum confirmed that Kim sought advice on a wide range of economic issues from Druking in the lead up to the election in May last year. Kim was Moon's spokesman at the time.

The allegation was confirmed by information retrieved from USB flash drive submitted by the blogger, which included a record of communication between the two via Signal, an encrypted communications app. In a message sent Jan. 5, 2017, Kim asked the blogger for a “rough draft” of speech material for Moon on reforming the chaebol, Korea's family-run businesses long criticized for opaque management and corruption.

Kim said he would not mind receiving just a “table of contents” by Jan. 10, when Moon's speech at a policy discussion forum was scheduled at the National Assembly. The blogger, in response, said he had not finished the draft, but added he would make at least the table of contents available the following day. He said, “content will be added for revision over the weekend, if needed.”

On Jan. 6, Kim sent a message to the blogger, “I made a reservation in my name at a restaurant near the National Assembly. See you soon,” to which the blogger replied, “Yes, understood,” and “I have arrived. Take your time.” Moon delivered a keynote address as scheduled on chaebol reform and the market economy Jan. 10.

The day after the speech, Kim also asked Druking for feedback from the blogger's “group” on the speech, and Druking asked Kim to come to their office. Investigators suspect Kim visited the office that day.

The team questioned the blogger for the seventh time Tuesday, mainly over his relationship with Kim such as whether and how often the two met as well as what they discussed. It is expected to summon Kim as early as this week.