Myeong Tae-gyun, who has been identified as a key figure in the alleged interference of First Lady Kim Keon-hee in candidate selection, released part of his Telegram messages with Kim related to “shamanistic rumors” on the 22nd. This comes as a counter to claims made during a parliamentary audit the previous day, which suggested he engaged in “spiritual conversations” with the First Lady.
In a post on his social network service (SNS), Myeong stated that “perjury during a National Assembly audit is punishable under laws concerning testimony and appraisals,” and shared a photo. The photo contained a segment of a Telegram conversation he had with someone saved in his contacts as “Kim Keon-hee/First Lady (President Yoon Seok-yeol).”
In the Telegram conversation, the other party shared a rumor under the title “Kim Keon-hee, discusses state affairs with Myeong Tae-gyun.” In response, Myeong commented, “There are many people who have been punished by the heavens. In the end, it’s just a rumor with unclear accountability.”
The rumor shared in the conversation described Myeong as a shaman, claiming he transitioned to this role over 10 years ago. It further suggested that “President Yoon reportedly did not want to attend Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral due to Myeong’s advice” and that “there’s a rumor that Kim frequently calls Myeong to discuss state affairs.”
Myeong’s decision to disclose these messages appears to be in response to comments made by Kang Hye-kyung, the whistleblower of the alleged interference, during the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee’s audit of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office. Kang, who attended the audit as a witness the previous day, claimed, “Director Myeong said he frequently engages in spiritual conversations with the First Lady.”
Kang also responded to a question about whether former Chosun Ilbo editorial writer Lee Dong-hoon, who briefly served as spokesperson for the People’s Power presidential candidate Yoon in June 2021, resigned because Myeong told Kim that their energies clashed. Kang stated, “I heard so from Director Myeong, who said they would frequently clash and that Kim made Lee resign immediately.”