In a burgeoning political scandal, South Korean political broker Myung Tae Kyun has testified that he received an envelope full of cash from Kim Keon Hee, wife of President Yoon Suk Yeol. Prosecutors are now probing the purpose and nature of the funds as suspicions around election-related cash exchanges grow.
According to legal sources, the specialized investigation team at the Changwon District Prosecutors’ Office, led by Deputy Chief Prosecutor Lee Ji Hyung, summoned Myung on Friday and Saturday for questioning. During this time, he stated that he received a cash envelope from Mrs. Kim.
When prosecutors presented a photo of the cash envelope they had retrieved from Myung’s phone and asked him to confirm if it was from Mrs. Kim, Myung reportedly responded that he received it as a transportation allowance.
Previously, Kang Hye Kyung, who raised suspicions about Myung, testified to prosecutors that he had boasted about receiving approximately $3,700 from Mrs. Kim. Kang also alleged that before the 22nd presidential election, Myung conducted 81 surveys worth about $279,000 for Yoon. She further claimed that Myung used his acquaintance with Mrs. Kim to secure an election nomination for former legislator Kim in a by-election.
With these allegations, prosecutors are investigating whether Mrs. Kim’s funds were intended as campaign expenses or served another purpose. On Tuesday, the prosecution issued arrest warrants for Myung, former legislator Kim, and two other candidates in the June 2022 local elections, accusing them of exchanging political funds for nominations—violating the Political Funds Act. The pretrial detention hearing presided over by Judge Jung Ji Eun of the Changwon District Court is set for November 14.
Myung faces charges of assisting former lawmaker Kim with his candidacy in the 2022 by-election. He allegedly received roughly $56,000 through Kang Kim’s financial officer in 16 transactions from August to November 2022. He also reportedly accepted $18,000 each from two preliminary candidates in the 2022 local elections, totaling $36,000, in return for securing nominations.
Most Commented