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Myung Tae-kyun release could accelerate Yoon prosecution: 'A hungry lion, caged for 145 days'

Published: 13 Apr. 2025, 19:40

Former president Yoon Suk Yeol waves to his supporters at the Acrovista apartment complex in southern Seoul on April 11. [NEWS1]

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol and wife Kim Keon Hee's relocation to their private residence, as well as self-proclaimed power broker Myung Tae-kyun's release from prison on bail, have the potential to accelerate investigations into longstanding electoral misconduct allegations against the ousted leader.

Yoon and Kim's vacation of the official presidential residence in Hannam-dong in Yongsan District, central Seoul, removed their protection under Articles 110 and 111 of the Criminal Procedure Act, which limit searches of military or government properties without consent. Yoon’s current residence no longer qualifies for those exemptions, opening the door for a potential raid.

The couple relocated to their private apartment on Friday after the Constitutional Court removed Yoon from office on April 4.

Prosecutors say the change in legal status opens the door to compulsory investigation.

“The Presidential Security Service may still try to intervene, but a raid is now legally possible,” a prosecution official said.

The case centers on claims that Yoon and Kim were involved in manipulating the People Power Party's nomination process ahead of the 2022 by-elections and 2024 general elections, allegedly in coordination with Myung.

Prosecutors believe the couple benefited from rigged opinion polls that Myung conducted to influence candidate selection.

Myung Tae-kyun moves to a vehicle to return to Changwon Detention Center, where he is being held, after attending a pretrial detention hearing at the Changwon District Court in Changwon, South Gyeongsang, on Nov. 14, 2024. [NEWS1]

Myung's recent release on bail is another potential variable. The Changwon District Court freed the self-proclaimed power broker on Wednesday with restrictions on evidence tampering, court absences and unauthorized relocation.

Myung hinted in a Facebook post on Sunday that he would speak further on the matter at a later time. “A hungry lion, caged for 145 days, now stands in the center of the arena. Which prey should I pounce on and rip apart first to elicit cheers from the crowd?” the post reads.

His lawyer, Yeo Tae-hyung, said Myung would comply with any National Assembly summons, describing it as “a duty to the public.”

With the presidential campaign period set to begin next month, investigators are under pressure to act quickly.

“It’s not easy to pursue politically sensitive cases once election season begins,” a prosecution source said. “We’ll likely act within the month.”

The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials is also probing Yoon for allegedly pressuring a Marine Corps investigation centered on allegations that Yoon and his administration interfered in a military investigation into the death of a Marine during a flood rescue mission in July 2023.

That case remains on hold after the Dec. 3 declaration of martial law halted progress, and officials say it is too early to resume without resolving the current martial law investigation.

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

BY SHIM SEOK-YONG [[email protected]]