Seoul: Lee Jun-seok, leader of the minor New Reform Party, was subjected to nearly 10 hours of questioning by a special counsel team on Sunday regarding allegations of election meddling linked to former first lady Kim Keon Hee. Lee arrived at the office of the special counsel, led by Min Joong-ki, at 10 a.m. and departed around 7:40 p.m. This inquiry is part of a broader investigation initiated in July, focusing on corruption and other allegations involving the former first lady.

According to Yonhap News Agency, this marks the first instance of Lee being interrogated by the special counsel. As he exited the questioning, Lee remarked, "I sincerely cooperated with the investigation," adding that he also provided testimony concerning former President Yoon Suk Yeol. The investigation targets claims that Lee colluded with Yoon and his wife, Kim, to influence candidate nominations during the 2022 parliamentary by-elections. At that time, Lee was at the helm of the then-ruling People Power Party (PPP).

The inquiry also scrutinizes accusations that Yoon and Kim accepted free opinion polls from Myung Tae-kyun, a self-proclaimed power broker, before the 2022 presidential election. The alleged exchange was purportedly for the nomination of former PPP Representative Kim Young-sun as a candidate for the by-elections. Lee has consistently refuted these allegations.