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Self-proclaimed 'power broker,' former PPP lawmaker granted bail after bribery indictments

Published: 09 Apr. 2025, 16:07

Self-proclaimed political broker Myung Tae-kyun leaves the Changwon District Court in South Gyeongsang after attending an arrest warrant hearing on Nov. 14, 2024. [NEWS1]

"Power broker" Myung Tae-kyun and former conservative People Power Party (PPP) lawmaker Kim Young-sun have been granted bail after being indicted for allegedly trading money for election nominations.

The Changwon District Court approved bail requests filed by Myung and Kim, both of whom were indicted for violating the Political Funds Act.

The court’s decision came 145 days after prosecutors detained the two people on Nov. 15 last year.

Under the terms of the bail, Myung and Kim are each required to pay 50 million won ($33,760) in bonds and are confined to their registered residences.

Myung and Kim were indicted for allegedly exchanging 80.7 million won between August 2022 and November 2023 through Kim’s campaign finance manager, surnamed Kang. The funds were allegedly related to Kim’s bid for nomination in the National Assembly race for Changwon’s Uichang District, South Gyeongsang.

In a separate case, Myung and the former chief of the Future Korea Research Institute head, Kim Tae-yeol, were also indicted for accepting 240 million won from two individuals running as preliminary candidates in the 2022 local elections. The funds were allegedly tied to securing nominations for a county governor in Goryeong, North Gyeongsang, and a city council seat in Daegu.

Myung had previously filed for bail in December, but the court rejected the request at that time.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.

BY CHO MUN-GYU [[email protected]]