The 54-year-old former pollster arrived at the Changwon District Prosecutors Office, where he is expected to face questioning regarding his relationships with the first couple. Expressing remorse for his past actions, Myeong stated, "I feel sorry to the people for my reckless remarks and actions."
When pressed about potential involvement in the ruling People Power Party (PPP) candidate nominations or the existence of incriminating voice recordings of his dialogue with Yoon and Kim, Myeong pledged full cooperation with the investigation, stating, "I will fully cooperate with the prosecutor's investigation."
Prior to entering the office, Myeong told reporters that he had not received any illicit funds and suggested that tracing the money flow could swiftly resolve the case.
Myeong is suspected of receiving approximately 90 million won ($65,200) from former PPP lawmaker Kim Young-sun between August 2022 and December 2022 in exchange for facilitating Kim's nomination. The scandal has intensified with allegations that the first couple exerted undue influence over PPP candidate selections through Myeong.
President Yoon, in a press conference on Thursday, apologized for the scandal but defended his wife, asserting that she had been "deliberately demonized." He acknowledged the challenges of addressing "fake news" as president. Despite the apology, Yoon's approval rating plummeted to a record low of 17 percent, according to a Korea Gallup poll released on Friday.
The scandal has rocked the Yoon administration and sparked widespread public outrage, raising serious questions about transparency, accountability, and the misuse of power.
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