Reform Party leader questioned for election meddling allegations linked to ex-first lady

Lee Jun-seok, leader of the minor conservative Reform Party, underwent nearly 10 hours of questioning Sunday by a special counsel team over allegations of election meddling linked to former first lady Kim Keon Hee.

Lee appeared before a team led by special counsel Min Joong-ki at 10 a.m. and left around 7:40 p.m. The team was launched in July to investigate corruption and other allegations surrounding the former first lady.

"I sincerely cooperated with the investigation," Lee told reporters as he left. "I also sincerely testified about former President Yoon Suk Yeol."

It was the first time Lee had been questioned by the special counsel.

Min's team is investigating allegations that 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 (PPP) 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 has denied the allegations.

Yonhap