Prosecutors Investigate Alleged Involvement of Kim Kun-hee in Nomination Scandal, Raiding Polling Firm Linked to Myong Tae-gyun
The Changwon District Prosecutors’ Office, led by Criminal Division 4 Chief Prosecutor Kim Ho-gyeong, conducted a search and seizure operation on October 25 at the residence and office of Mr. Kim, the director of Mirae Korea Research Institute. The institute, a polling firm reportedly operated by Myong Tae-gyun, is under investigation regarding alleged election interference.
Mr. Kim is a relative of former People Power Party (PPP) lawmaker Kim Young-sun and previously served as an aide during the 16th and 17th National Assembly sessions. Although officially listed as the CEO of Mirae Korea Research Institute, he recently claimed in a media interview that he only lent his name to the firm, asserting that Myong is the actual owner. Conversely, Myong has consistently denied involvement, stating in a recent interview that he transferred ownership of the institute to Mr. Kim five years ago.
The prosecution suspects that Myong conducted “customized polling” through the institute during the last presidential election to support candidate Yoon Seok-yeol, allegedly securing Kim Young-sun’s nomination as a reward. Mirae Korea Research Institute is accused of conducting 81 public and private polls worth 375 million KRW (approximately USD 280,000) for Yoon’s campaign, with allegations that some results were manipulated.
These claims were raised by Ms. Kang Hye-gyeong during a National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee audit on October 21. Kang, a former financial officer for Kim Young-sun and deputy director of Mirae Korea Research Institute, alleged that “Myong received Kim’s nomination in return for conducting illegal polls for President Yoon,” and claimed that Kim Kun-hee, the president’s spouse, was involved.
Prosecutors are accelerating their investigation into the illegal polling allegations. On October 23, they questioned Ms. Kang as a suspect, and on October 24, they summoned former aides of lawmaker Kim, including an assistant and senior secretary, as witnesses.
Following the analysis of seized materials, the prosecution plans to summon Mr. Kim to further investigate the polling activities of Mirae Korea Research Institute during the 2022 presidential election.
