Prosecutors raid Seoul mayor's residence and City Hall in reported Myung Tae-kyun probe

Prosecutors raided Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon's official residence and Seoul City Hall on Thursday morning.

[KOREA JOONGANG DAILY]

Prosecutors raided Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon's official residence and Seoul City Hall on Thursday morning.

The Seoul city government told reporters that it was notified of the raid around 9 a.m.

In a statement Thursday morning, the city said it "believes the investigation is linked to Myung Tae-kyun" and will respond by reviewing the scope of the warrant in the presence of a lawyer.

Myung, a self-proclaimed power broker, is alleged to have ties to the mayor’s 2021 by-election campaign.

Prosecutors are investigating claims that the Future Resources Institute, a polling firm effectively controlled by Myung, conducted 13 unpublished opinion polls related to Oh Se-hoon during his 2021 Seoul mayoral by-election campaign. They are also probing allegations that businessman Kim Han-jung, a long-time supporter of Oh, covered the polling expenses, which totaled 33 million won ($22,600).

BY WOO JI-WON [woo.jiwon@joongang.co.kr]