The special prosecutor team investigating the 'nomination intervention allegations' involving former President Yoon Suk-yeol, his spouse, and 'political broker' Myung Tae-gyun, has widened its investigative net by designating former Presidential Chief of Staff Jung Jin-seok as a suspect in a related search and seizure warrant. This action is expected to deepen the investigation into the alleged nomination intervention.
Jung Jin-seok Served as People Power Party's Nomination Management Committee Chairperson in 2022 Local Elections
According to legal circles on July 9, the Kim Keon-hee Special Counsel Team (Special Prosecutor Min Joong-ki) recently named former Chief of Staff Jung Jin-seok as a suspect in a search and seizure warrant issued by the court in connection with the nomination intervention allegations. Jung served as the chairperson of the ruling People Power Party's Nomination Management Committee during the 2022 nationwide local elections. He had already appeared last month as a witness before the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office's Myung Tae-gyun Allegations Investigation Team (Team Leader Deputy Chief Prosecutor Lee Ji-hyung) for questioning.
However, a special counsel team official stated that Jung was not among those targeted in the search and seizure conducted the previous day. The special counsel's search and seizure operations the day before primarily focused on the residences and offices of current and former politicians and related individuals believed to be involved in the allegations.
Expansion of Search and Seizure Targets, Imminent Summons of Involved Parties
The special counsel raided the home and National Assembly office of Representative Yoon Sang-hyun (who served as the chairperson of the People Power Party's Nomination Management Committee for the June 1, 2022, National Assembly by-election) the previous day. Additionally, the residences of former People Power Party lawmaker Kim Young-sun and former senior prosecutor Kim Sang-min, among approximately 10 other locations, were included in the search and seizure. Once the analysis of the seized materials from these extensive searches is complete, it is highly likely that individuals involved in the nomination intervention allegations, including former Chief of Staff Jung Jin-seok, will soon be summoned by the special counsel.
The Core of the 'Kim Keon-hee - Myung Tae-gyun' Nomination Intervention Allegations
At the heart of this investigation are allegations that First Lady Kim Keon-hee received free public opinion surveys from Myung Tae-gyun during the March 2022 presidential election and that she assisted former lawmaker Kim Young-sun in securing a strategic nomination for the Changwon Uichang constituency in Gyeongnam in the June 2022 National Assembly by-election.
Notably, these allegations emerged through a recorded file released by the Democratic Party. The recording contains content where former President Yoon, on May 9, the day before the nomination announcement, called Myung and said, "The nomination committee brought it to me, so I told them to give it to Kim Young-sun because she worked hard since the preliminary race, but there's a lot of talk in the party about it," causing a stir.
Scope of Investigation Expands to Include Pohang and Pyeongtaek Mayoral Nominations, and Gangwon and Gyeongnam Provincial Governor Nominations
In addition to the allegations concerning First Lady Kim, the special counsel has also been investigating suspicions that former President Yoon and his spouse intervened in the nominations for Pohang Mayor and Pyeongtaek Mayor during the 2022 local elections. Furthermore, allegations of intervention in the Gyeongnam Provincial Governor and Gangwon Provincial Governor nominations in the same election, as well as involvement in last year's National Assembly elections for former prosecutor Kim, are also part of the special counsel's investigation.
The designation of former Chief of Staff Jung Jin-seok as a suspect indicates that the special counsel is looking beyond individual misconduct in the nomination intervention allegations, examining the possibility of involvement from high-ranking officials and the overall nomination system of the then-ruling party. As the special counsel's rigorous investigation proceeds, attention is focused on whether the full extent of the related allegations will be revealed.
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