Arrest warrants requested for Myung Tae-kyun and Kim Young-sun for violating Political Funds Act

[Anchor]

Hello.

This is KBS 9 o‘clock news.

The prosecution has requested arrest warrants for Myung Tae-kyun, a key figure in the allegations of interference in the nomination by First Lady Kim Keon-hee, and former lawmaker Kim Young-sun.

The warrants were requested on charges of violating the Political Funds Act, alleging that money was exchanged in connection with election nominations.

Reporter Son Won-hyuk has the details.

[Report]

The prosecution has requested arrest warrants for Myung Tae-kyun and former National Assembly member Kim Young-sun.

The charges applied are violations of the Political Funds Act.

The prosecution believes that after the by-election for Uichang district in Changwon in 2022, Mr. Myung received over 90 million won from former lawmaker Kim as a quid pro quo for the nomination.

[Myung Tae-kyun & Kang Hye-kyung/Aug. 2022: “The exact promised amount was (half of her salary). So, if I calculate the deposit and it’s off by even 1 won, I‘m done....”]

Additionally, he is also accused of instructing to make local election preliminary candidates cover part of the costs for over 80 opinion polls conducted by the Future Korea Research Institute during the last presidential election.

[Kang Hye-kyung/Accountability Officer for former lawmaker Kim Young-sun/National Assembly audit in Oct.: “(For the presidential election opinion poll costs) He said he would go to Seoul to receive the money, but he didn’t bring back the money, and as a result, he received the nomination for Kim Young-sun.”]

The prosecution has also requested warrants for two local election preliminary candidates who allegedly gave him money at that time on the same charges.

Mr. Myung previously denied the related allegations, stating to reporters that he never received money and that the Future Korea Research Institute was not his.

[Myung Tae-kyun/Oct. 9: “If I were such a powerful person, I could have seated anyone, whether it be a county mayor or a city councilor, just by saying it. Why couldn‘t I?”]

It is reported that the allegations regarding Mr. Myung conducting opinion polls for free for President Yoon Suk Yeol during the last presidential election and the allegations of interference in the Changwon National Industrial Complex are not included in this arrest warrant request.

Mr. Myung’s lawyer has drawn a line regarding concerns about evidence destruction, such as the disposal of mobile phones, but the prosecution believes the matter is serious and there is a risk of flight and evidence destruction.

The pre-arrest interrogation of the suspects is scheduled for the afternoon of Nov.14.

This is KBS News, Son Won-hyuk.