Former ruling People Power Party lawmaker Kim Young-sun has denied paying a power broker to help her secure the party’s nomination for a 2022 by-election.

The prosecution questioned Kim for about 12 hours on Sunday as a suspect in an investigation concerning possible violations of the Political Funds Act. 

Kim is suspected of making multiple payments totaling approximately 90 million won, or 65-thousand-500 U.S. dollars, to self-styled political consultant Myung Tae-kyun after winning a parliamentary seat representing the Changwon Uichang constituency in June 2022.

Addressing reporters after the interrogation ended around 10:10 p.m. Sunday, Kim flatly denied that her nomination was effectively the price of the opinion polls Myung carried out for President Yoon Suk-yeol before he was elected.

Kim reportedly told the prosecution she had never asked Myung or first lady Kim Keon-hee to help her secure the nomination, and that her former accountant Kang Hye-kyung was responsible for sending Myung the 90 million won. 

Myung is suspected of using his personal connections with the president and the first lady to meddle in the ruling party’s candidate nomination process and other state affairs.