Warning signal for Myung Tae-kyun began ringing a year ago

[Anchor]

The detention period of Mr. Myung Tae-kyun, who has sparked allegations of interference in candidate nominations, has been extended until early next month.

The People Power Party had already conducted an internal audit a year ago and investigated rumors related to Mr. Myung, but it has been confirmed that no significant follow-up actions were taken.

Reporter Son Won-hyuk has the details.

[Report]

Former lawmaker Kim Young-sun, who was elected in the June 2022 by-election, was excluded from the candidate nominations for this year's general election.

This was because she was classified in the bottom 10% during the internal audit of the People Power Party conducted last November ahead of the general election.

At that time, the on-site audit team confirmed that they investigated Mr. Myung's role in relation to former lawmaker Kim.

[Call between Kang Hye-kyung and ○○○/April 2024: "We prepared the internal audit materials very well. But what came down was Myung (Tae-kyun) target. Why is 'Myung' mentioned in the internal audit?"]

Officials from the People Power Party who participated in the audit stated to KBS that it was to verify rumors.

They also mentioned that their relationship not merely that of a lawmaker and a general party official as he was behaving inappropriately and that they wondered who Mr. Myung was to warrant such attention.

Around the same time, a tip-off regarding Mr. Myung was also received by the People Power Party.

The content raised suspicions of financial collusion with local research institutes, local media, and polling organizations, which could extend to issues of polling reliability.

However, the People Power Party did not conduct any further investigation into Mr. Myung.

Shin Yee-jin, the former chair of the internal audit committee, stated to KBS that she had never heard of Myung Tae-kyun and was unaware of the tip-off.

A month later, the Gyeongnam Election Commission requested an investigation into former lawmaker Kim and others for violations of the Political Funds Act, but it took nine months for a proper investigation to begin.

Warnings related to Mr. Myung had been ongoing for a year, but no action was taken.

In the meantime, the Changwon District Prosecutor's Office has summoned Mr. Myung for the third time after his detention and has extended the detention period for Mr. Myung and former lawmaker Kim until the 3rd of next month.

This is KBS News, Son Won-hyuk reporting.