Presidential chief of staff Chung Jin-suk says President Yoon Suk Yeol initially took advice from power broker Myung Tae-kyun but opted to sever ties after a while. 

Chung made the remarks Friday during a parliamentary audit of the top office, in response to lawmakers’ questions about an audio file of a conversation between Yoon and Myung. 

The chief of staff said Yoon heeded Myung’s advice when he first decided to run for president, since the self-styled political consultant knew many high-profile politicians.

But after Myung intervened in the primary rules, Chung said the president told Myung never to call him or his wife again. 

Chung said after severing ties, Yoon picked up a call from Myung a day before his inauguration, as Myung had helped him in the early stages of his presidential bid and only called to wish him well.

That’s all there was to their conversation, Chung said.

Chung’s remarks come a day after the main opposition Democratic Party released an audio file of the conversation between Yoon and Myung, claiming it proves Yoon and first lady Kim Keon-hee interfered in election nominations.

In the audio file, the president can be heard saying he has asked the ruling People Power Party nomination committee to consider candidacy for former Rep. Kim Young-sun. 

Kim was elected to parliament during by-elections in June 2022.