Yoon Butterfly Effect? ... Kim Young-sun and Myung Tae-kyun Also Request Cancellation Saying "Grounds for Detention Disappeared"

“Criminals Expecting Impunity... Immediate Appeal Needed,” Says Opposition Party

Political broker Myung Tae-gyun, a key figure in the allegations of President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife’s interference in candidate selection, has filed a request with the court to cancel his detention, claiming that the grounds for his detention no longer exist. Currently, Myung is detained and on trial for violations including the Political Funds Act.

Myeong Tae-gyun, a key figure in the case involving allegations of Kim Geon-hee's interference in candidate selection and the illegal opinion poll conducted by the Mirae Korea Research Institute, appeared last November afternoon at the Changwon District Court (Changwon District Court) in Seongsan-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongnam, to undergo a pre-arrest detention hearing (warrant review).

Myung’s attorney, Lawyer Yeo Tae-hyung, submitted the request to cancel the detention to the Changwon District Court around 11 a.m. on the 13th.

Myung’s side argues that his substantive right to defense is being restricted, and since there is no risk of flight or evidence tampering, the detention should be canceled. They particularly emphasized that although the court issued an arrest warrant on November 15 last year citing concerns over evidence tampering, those reasons have now disappeared.

Attorney Yeo stated, "The court’s reason for detaining Myung was the concern over evidence tampering related to the so-called ‘golden phone.’ However, since the forensic procedures have already been completed, there is no longer any concern about evidence tampering."

However, Myung’s side clarified that this request to cancel detention is unrelated to the recent court decision to accept President Yoon’s request to cancel his detention.

It is also reported that on the 11th, former People Power Party lawmaker Kim Young-sun submitted a request to cancel detention to the Changwon District Court. Kim’s side is said to have submitted the request influenced by President Yoon’s detention cancellation.

Amid Myung and former lawmaker Kim’s requests to cancel detention, opposition parties raised their voices urging the prosecution to file an “immediate appeal” regarding President Yoon’s detention cancellation. Kim Yong-man, spokesperson for the Democratic Party’s Myung Tae-gyun Gate Truth Investigation Team, said in a statement that "As a result of the prosecution abandoning law and principles and releasing the leader of the insurrection, criminals are now openly expecting impunity," and criticized, "Is the prosecution going to deny its own existence and pave the way to become accomplices in the insurrection?"

He continued, "The prosecution must make a decision even now," adding, "They must immediately file an appeal and conduct a thorough investigation into all related parties including Yoon Geon-hee (President Yoon and First Lady Kim Keon-hee), Oh Se-hoon, and Hong Joon-pyo. This is the last chance to uphold the rule of law and justice."

Meanwhile, Myung and former lawmaker Kim were detained and indicted on charges of exchanging 80.7 million won through Kang Hye-kyung, who was Kim’s accounting manager, in connection with recommending Kim as a candidate for the National Assembly election in the Uichang district of Changwon, Gyeongnam, from August 2022 to November 2023.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.