The special investigation team led by Min Jung-ki, probing allegations related to Kim Keon-hee, the spouse of former President Yoon Suk-yeol, summoned and questioned Hahm Seong-deuk, the head of the political science graduate school at Kyonggi University.
The special investigation team stated on the 26th that it had summoned Hahm as a witness on the 25th. Hahm is reported to have been investigated regarding allegations of the former president couple's involvement in nominations. The team is said to have verified the facts related to text messages exchanged with political broker Myung Tae-kyun on April 28, 2022.
Previously, prosecutors secured messages exchanged by Hahm with Myung. Myung claimed at the time that the text was sent to his sister-in-law and reportedly shared a message presumed to have been sent to Kim with Hahm. The message reportedly included the content, "Madam, please support Congressman Kim Young-sun, who ran in the Changwon City Uichang District. I will become a loyal servant to you and the President."
The allegations of involvement in nominations suggest that the former president couple received public opinion survey support for free from Myung in exchange for ensuring that former Congressman Kim Young-sun was nominated in the by-election later that year. It is understood that Myung conducted illegal public opinion surveys on a total of 81 occasions.
The special investigation team plans to summon People Power Party lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun for questioning on the 27th. Yoon was the chairman of the nomination management committee of the People Power Party during the by-election held in 2022.