Seoul: A special counsel team again raided the office of minor party leader Lee Jun-seok on Wednesday as part of its investigation into former first lady Kim Keon Hee's alleged election meddling. Investigators from special counsel Min Joong-ki's team searched the office of the New Reform Party (NRP) leader on the National Assembly compound for the second time to secure additional documents and computer files.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the first raid took place Monday, targeting Lee's office and his homes in Seoul's northern Nowon district and Hwaseong, south of the capital. Min's team is looking into allegations Lee colluded with former President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife, Kim, to meddle in candidate nominations for the 2022 parliamentary by-elections. Lee was the leader of the then ruling People Power Party at the time.
Yoon and Kim are suspected of receiving free opinion polls from self-proclaimed power broker Myung Tae-kyun ahead of the 2022 presidential election in exchange for the nomination of former PPP Rep. Kim Young-sun as a candidate for the by-elections. Lee is also suspected of suggesting to Myung the appointment of former Rep. Kim as South Korea's ambassador to France.