Anna Jiwon Park has been covering the politics at The Korea Times since the summer of 2024, when she joined the press pool for the Office of the President in Korea. Prior to that, she spent about five years reporting extensively on financial markets, regulatory authorities and the financial industry. She joined The Korea Times in 2019 after spending eight years as a broadcast journalist at Arirang TV, Korea’s leading global broadcaster, covering politics, defense and culture.
Political broker questioned over election meddling scandal involving president, first lady
Myung Tae-kyun, a self-proclaimed power broker, enters the Changwon District Prosecutors' Office in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, Friday. Korea Times photo by Choi Joo-yeon
By Anna J. Park
Self-proclaimed political power broker Myung Tae-kyun, the central figure in election meddling allegations surrounding President Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady Kim Keon Hee, was summoned for questioning over the scandal, Friday.
He arrived at the Changwon District Prosecutors' Office in the southeastern city in South Gyeongsang Province, walking with a cane and accompanied by his attorney. It was his first public appearance since the allegations first emerged in early September.
"I am ashamed, embarrassed and deeply sorry for my thoughtless words and actions," Myung told reporters awaiting for his arrival. "I will faithfully cooperate with the prosecution's investigation."
While not answering reporters' questions, he said he has only one thing to say to the media.
"I believe this case will soon be resolved only if the flow of money is investigated. I have never received even a single won related to this matter," Myung said before entering the building.
His attorney said Myung denies all allegations. While Myung suddenly uploaded a posting on social media the previous day and apologized to people who were hurt by his disclosure of phone conversation recordings, the attorney said, "Regardless of the causes, his recordings were made public and defamed some politicians. He apologized for this."
Myung is accused of receiving about 90 million won ($65,000) from former ruling People Power Party (PPP) lawmaker Kim Young-sun as she sent him part of her parliamentary salary over dozens of instances between August 2022 and December 2023, after she won a by-election for a constituency in Changwon in June 2022.
It is suspected that a polling agency, of which Myung is a de facto owner, conducted 81 opinion polls for Yoon ahead of the May 2022 presidential election. In exchange, Myung, by using his ties to the president and the first lady, allegedly asked them to help Kim Young-sun secure the nomination as candidate for the constituency. After she was nominated and elected, she allegedly offered the money to Myung in return.
The prosecution also recently summoned and questioned Kim Young-sun and her former accountant.
Myung Tae-kyun appears at the Changwon District Prosecutors' Office in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, Friday. Korea Times photo by Choi Joo-yeon
The allegations grew after the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) disclosed a recorded phone conversation between Yoon and Myung. The conversation suggested that Yoon attempted to affect the PPP's candidate selection process in favor of Kim Young-sun.
A day before Myung's questioning, Yoon apologized to the public over causing concerns surrounding him and the first lady in a series of controversies related to Myung. But the president firmly denied such accusations, emphasizing that there is "nothing inappropriate or to hide" about his and the first lady's communications with Myung.