[Exclusive] Myung claims to have exerted influence over appointment of presidential officials through presidential couple

[Anchor]

It has been confirmed that Myung Tae-kyun claimed to have exerted influence over the appointment of administrative officials in the presidential office through President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife.

Related individuals have denied Myung's claims.

Reporter Lee Hyung-kwan has the exclusive coverage.

[Report]

Last month, while the investigation into the 'presidential couple's involvement in nominations' was underway.

Myung Tae-kyun stated during a meal that he had influenced the hiring process of administrative officials in the presidential office at the start of the Yoon Suk Yeol administration two years ago.

The individual in question is A, who worked as an aide to a former member of the National Assembly who was a classmate of President Yoon in the bar exam.

[Call between Myung Tae-kyun and his acquaintance/Oct.: "I told the president. ○○○ (the lawmaker) is a classmate of the president in the bar exam…. I mentioned that, and the president told Chang Je-won to take care of them…."]

Myung also informed A that he had spoken with First Lady Kim Keon-hee, and A expressed surprise at this.

[Call between Myung Tae-kyun and his acquaintance/Oct.: "Then I called right away. I called the First Lady. (A) said, 'Wow, it feels like a movie!' and asked, 'How do you make that call?' Yeah…."]

Myung stated that President Yoon took care of A through former Rep. Chang Je-won.

Chang was a close aide to President Yoon and served as the head of the president-elect's secretariat at that time.

[Call between Myung Tae-kyun and his acquaintance/Oct.: "The president probably took care of it. He talked to Chang Je-won…. (In the presidential office) □□□□□□, you know."]

This is similar to Myung's previous claims that he was involved in various appointment processes, including preventing Rep. Yoon Han-hong from being appointed as the secretary of the presidential candidate.

As a result of the investigation, it has been confirmed that A worked as a level 4 administrative official in the presidential office until recently after working at the presidential transition committee.

A acknowledged knowing Myung Tae-kyun but denied the allegations, stating, "The contributions I made were recognized since the presidential campaign."

Former Rep. Chang Je-won also made it clear to reporters, "I knew A well since my time as a member of the National Assembly, so I entrusted him with the work, but I have never heard anything from the presidential couple."

This is KBS News, Lee Hyung-kwan.