Seoul: Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon is expected to attend a face-to-face questioning against self-proclaimed power broker Myung Tae-kyun before special counsel investigators probing their corruption allegations next month, Myung said Thursday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Myung informed reporters during his visit to Seoul City Hall to attend a parliamentary inspection session that a confrontational questioning between him and Oh is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Nov. 8 at the office of special counsel Min Joong-ki. Aides to the Seoul mayor also confirmed the schedule, stating that Oh has personally requested the face-to-face questioning with Myung to uncover the truth.
The special counsel has been investigating suspicions that Kim Han-jung, a businessman known to support Oh, requested the Future Korea Research Institute, a polling company effectively operated by Myung, to conduct 13 unpublished opinion polls during the 2021 Seoul mayoral by-election campaign. It is alleged that Kim paid 33 million won (US$22,650) in polling costs on behalf of the Seoul mayor. Oh and his lawyers have denied these allegations, calling for a swift investigation into the case.
Reports indicate that Min's team had previously asked Oh to appear at its office earlier this month for questioning regarding his alleged violation of the political fund law. However, the mayor reportedly declined the summons, instead requesting a confrontational questioning with Myung.