Presidential Office Denies Yoon’s Involvement in 2022 By-Election Nomination.

Seoul: The presidential office issued a denial on Thursday regarding President Yoon Suk Yeol's alleged involvement in the nomination of a candidate for the parliamentary by-elections in 2022, during his time as president-elect. This statement came in response to allegations from the main opposition Democratic Party (DP). According to Yonhap News Agency, the DP had earlier played a recording purportedly of a phone call in which Yoon allegedly recommended the ruling party nominate the now former lawmaker Kim Young-sun for the by-election in the Changwon and Uichang district of South Gyeongsang Province. This revelation is part of a broader scandal involving accusations that Yoon and first lady Kim Keon Hee collaborated with Myung Tae-kyun, a self-proclaimed political broker, to influence candidate nominations. The presidential office clarified that "then President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol never received a report on candidate nominations from the nomination management committee nor did he give instructions for a no mination." They further elaborated that the phone conversation between Yoon and Myung was not significant, and Yoon merely spoke positively about Kim Young-sun due to Myung's insistence on her nomination. The DP alleged that the phone call occurred on May 9, 2022, a day before Kim Young-sun secured the ruling People Power Party's nomination and just prior to Yoon's inauguration as president. In the recording, Yoon reportedly expressed approval for Kim Young-sun's nomination, acknowledging her efforts during the primaries, while Myung expressed gratitude for the supposed support.