Survey consultant allegedly boosted Lee's popularity to gather votes for Yoon during the 2022 election, as per a recent report
In South Korea, a special counsel probe is underway to investigate allegations that poll results were manipulated by Myung Tae-kyun, a political figure with suspected ties to disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee.
The investigation centres around claims that Myung Tae-kyun altered poll results to create the illusion of a competitive race, influencing the outcome of elections, including the 2022 presidential election.
One instance of alleged manipulation occurred on September 17, 2021, when Myung Tae-kyun is accused of changing the results of a poll related to the People Power Party's primary race. The special counsel team led by Min Joung-ki has found evidence of this manipulation, with the data being altered to show incumbent President Lee Jae Myung narrowly ahead, with 747 votes compared to Yoon Suk Yeol's 738.
The manipulation is believed to have been part of an effort to encourage the consolidation of conservative votes behind Yoon Suk Yeol. The original results of the manipulated survey showed 492 respondents supporting Yoon Suk Yeol and 334 favouring Lee Jae Myung.
The allegations have led to formal investigations, including the special counsel probe, which has drawn attention to potential corruption and manipulation in South Korean politics, impacting public trust in the electoral process.
The investigation into Myung Tae-kyun's alleged poll manipulation is not isolated. Reports of new evidence suggest that pre-election polls related to ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol were rigged to make it appear that he had less support than his main rival, incumbent President Lee Jae Myung.
A former employee at Myung Tae-kyun's polling agency, Kang Hye-kyung, reportedly told prosecutors that the results were changed to avoid making Yoon stand out too much. A phone recording between Kang and Myung reveals that Myung instructed Kang to alter the results of a TV debate performance, reducing Hong Joon-pyo's approval rating by four percentage points.
Myung Tae-kyun is also under investigation for his alleged ties to the disgraced former president, his scandal-ridden wife Kim Keon Hee, and other prominent figures. The prosecution believes Myung's team frequently altered poll results to make the races appear neck-and-neck.
The manipulation of polls to show a closer race may have influenced public perception and potentially altered voter behaviour. By manipulating polls, Myung may have created a perception of a competitive race, which might have galvanized Yoon Suk Yeol's supporters.
The ongoing investigations into Myung Tae-kyun's alleged poll manipulation and the ongoing probes into former President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee regarding various allegations, including influence peddling and stock price manipulation, underscore ongoing challenges in maintaining the integrity of South Korea's electoral processes.
The ongoing investigation into Myung Tae-kyun's alleged poll manipulation has shed light on potential policy-and-legislation issues in South Korea, urging a closer look at election law enforcement. The manipulation of poll results for political gain serves as a critical point of discussion in the general news, questioning the integrity of the electoral process and public trust in South Korean politics.
