Former Daegu mayor to argue against arrest warrant for acquaintance tied to Myung Tae-kyun polling-fee allegations
Former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo has decided to personally represent an acquaintance facing an arrest warrant in connection with allegations that a third party paid polling fees on behalf of his 2022 presidential primary campaign. Hong said he views the investigation as an overreach targeting him and announced he would appear in court in his capacity as a licensed attorney.
According to Yonhap, Hong wrote on his Facebook page Monday that police had belatedly sought an arrest warrant against the former campaign accountant and the head of an election services firm on charges of falsely reporting campaign expenses — conduct he said stemmed from the primary race against then-candidate Yoon Suk Yeol five years ago.
"I have decided to appear as an attorney at a Daegu court on Tuesday to argue against the arrest warrant review for these individuals," he wrote.
Hong also questioned the legitimacy of the investigation. "In my view this is an excessive probe, and I'm told the statute of limitations on this case expires Nov. 19 — yet they are targeting even me, a retired politician," he said. "That is why I have no choice but to step in myself."
He again denied any connection to Myung Tae-kyun.
"I have never met Myung personally, nor have I ever commissioned polling from him," Hong said. "But this case appears to have grown out of the fallout from that complaint against him."
He went on to say: "I told them — investigate me, punish me if I'm guilty, but leave my staff alone. What more could possibly come from raking through the campaign finances of a primary candidate who lost five years ago?"
He closed the post with: "How spiteful. How bitter. Does it really have to come to this?"
The Daegu Metropolitan Police Agency recently applied to prosecutors for an arrest warrant against a man surnamed Park — an associate of a man surnamed Choi, who is a friend of Hong's son — on charges including violations of the Political Funds Act. Prosecutors accepted the application and forwarded the warrant request to court.
The warrant review hearing for Park is scheduled for Tuesday morning at the Daegu District Court.
The case originated from a complaint filed in March last year. At the time, Kim Han-me, standing co-chair of the civic group Sabeop Jeongui Baroseugi Simin Haengdong, alleged that about 40 million won ($30,200) in polling fees for surveys related to Hong — conducted by the Mirae Korea Research Institute, which Myung effectively ran — had been paid by a third party.
Kim filed a complaint against Hong, Choi and Park on charges including bribery and misconduct.
Choi and Park have denied all allegations, and Hong has maintained that he has no connection to the suspicions surrounding Myung.
woo@heraldcorp.com
