Yoon Sang-hyun, Kim Young-sun, and Kim Sang-min are being searched... The special prosecutor Kim Geon-hee aims at Kim Tae-hyo.

Introduction: The Turning Point of the Special Investigation, Targeting the Power Holders

On July 8, 2025, the Special Investigation Team led by Min Jung-ki launched extensive searches targeting current and former officials of the People's Power Party. This day is seen not merely as a forced investigation, but as a direct response to the way the previous administration exercised power. The targets of the searches involve a complex web of allegations related to requests for nominations, interference in election strategies, and illegal financial flows, with prevailing analyses suggesting that Kim Kun-hee is at the center of these issues. The far-reaching investigation is unfolding through the testimonies of a political broker named Jeon Bang-kyun, systematically uncovering the actual involvement of influential figures in power. This search and seizure operation included key individuals such as Representative Yoon Sang-hyun, former Representative Kim Young-sun, and former prosecutor Kim Sang-min, and it is serving as an opportunity to reevaluate the structure and connections within the heart of the administration.

Main Body ①: Traces of Negotiation and Coordination Surrounding Nominations

The suspicion of intervention in candidate nominations is a complex incident that arose in 2022. At that time, Representative Yoon Sang-hyun, who served as the chair of the nomination management committee, mentioned the possibility of nominating a specific individual during a phone call with Myung Tae-kyun, during which the name Yoon Suk-yeol also came up. Former Representative Kim Young-sun was preparing to run in Changwon's Changwon district but is suspected of having indirect coordination with Kim Geon-hee through Myung Tae-kyun. According to testimonies, there were attempts to adjust the districts so that Kim Young-sun would move to Gimhae Gap and Kim Sang-min would be assigned to the Changwon district. It is reported that Kim Geon-hee was practically involved in the discussions, with evidence captured showing that she directly communicated requests to Myung Tae-kyun through Telegram messages and voice calls. This is assessed as an act linked to substantial election interference rather than merely an internal party nomination coordination.

Main Point 2: The Background of Former Prosecutor Kim Sang-min and Allegations of Patronage Politics by the Regime

Former prosecutor Kim Sang-min was a key investigator in the special investigation division of the Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office that led the investigation into former Minister Cho Kuk. He was classified as a loyal investigative personnel under the Yoon Seok-yeol administration and later attempted to enter politics. Ahead of the 2024 general elections, Kim Sang-min applied for the People Power Party's candidacy in Changwon, which raised suspicions of external interference in connection with the candidacy conflict with Kim Young-sun. During the investigation, Myung Tae-kyun testified that Kim Geon-hee repeatedly requested, "Kim Sang-min must be elected," and mentioned high-ranking public office appointments after the election. Conversations between Kim Geon-hee and Myung Tae-kyun were recorded in Telegram and voice calls, reportedly containing requests for organizational formation for strategic candidacy of Kim Sang-min, election resource procurement issues, and more. The special counsel used this as grounds to search Kim Sang-min's residence and office space, and secured related digital devices. This incident raises strong suspicions that the actions went beyond simple personnel recommendations and sought to politically realize rewards for judicial power.

Main Point ③: Expansion of the Investigation Leading to Former Chief Kim Tae-hyo

The special prosecutor's investigation is not limited to the allegations of interference in nominations but is extending to the diplomatic and security lines as well. A representative case is the summons notification sent to Kim Tae-hyo, the former first deputy director of the National Security Office. He was identified as a person responsible by the Blue House during the response to the incident involving the death of a Marine Corps sergeant, and there have been concerns raised regarding concealment or external pressure related to the case. Kim Tae-hyo, who received a notice to appear by July 11, symbolizes the expansion phase of this investigation. The dual investigations into nomination corruption and military incidents essentially signify a structural investigation into the entire power apparatus of the previous administration, raising connections in that the methods of power operation entangled around Kim Geon-hee have been repeated in the same pattern. The special prosecutor considers that this flow indicates that Kim Tae-hyo is also related to issues of the privatization and control of power, and is expanding the scope of the investigation further.

Reactions and Counterattacks: The Position of People Power Party, Progress of the Special Investigation

The People Power Party maintains its stance that the special prosecutor's investigation is a "political repression for political purposes." They are publicly opposing the special prosecutor's investigative methods and direction, stating that "the flow of the political situation ultimately concludes as retaliatory investigations against the opposition after the regime change." In contrast, the special prosecutor's office argues that "revealing the realities of incidents that have remained as mere suspicions for a long time is indeed the essence of the rule of law." The Min Jong-ki special prosecutor team particularly notes that the testimony of Myung Tae-kyun is very specific and that the content has complementary credibility with the digital materials secured. Currently, the focus is on the forensic materials collected through search and seizure and the schedule for summons investigations, with the possibility that whether Kim Geon-hee herself will be summoned could become a critical turning point in this case.

Conclusion: The Reality of Power Indicated by Nominations

The term "nomination" is often regarded as a technical procedure within political parties, but in reality, it serves as a starting point for the direction of power operations and the reshaping of authority. If there has been a non-official intervention to bring a specific individual into the National Assembly, it poses a serious issue that undermines democratic processes. The allegations of nomination interference surrounding Yoon Sang-hyun, Kim Young-sun, and Kim Sang-min illustrate the extent of Kim Geon-hee's actual influence. At the same time, the expanded investigation into security officials, including Kim Tae-hyo, demonstrates that the reach and manner of power were not limited to a single incident. The direction of this special investigation does not merely condemn the actions of past powers but raises questions about how to redesign the boundaries between politics and the judiciary for our entire society. Seizures, testimonies, digital evidence, and future court rulings could serve as a basis for the reconfiguration of the structure of power in South Korea. Correcting the reality where the institutional procedure of nomination has been misused as a means of power trading is both the starting point for political reform and a prerequisite for restoring constitutional order. Regardless of the outcome of this incident, it is clear that it must serve as an opportunity to change the way power operates.