Bail Granted for Tae Kyun Myung in ‘Free Polls Provided to Yoon’ Case…Appeal Trial Without Detention

Sentenced to One Year and Six Months in Prison at First Trial and Taken into Custody
Special Prosecutor Opposed Bail Citing "Risk of Evidence Destruction," But Court Granted Request

Political broker Tae Kyun Myung, who was sentenced to imprisonment and taken into custody at his first trial on charges of providing free poll services to former President Yoon Seok-yeol and his wife, is set to be released on bail.

Political broker Tae Kyun Myung, who is suspected of interfering in candidate nominations, appeared for the second consecutive day on August 1, 2025, at the special prosecutor's office for Kim Gunhee, set up in the KT Gwanghwamun Building in Jongno, Seoul, to be investigated as a suspect in bribery charges, responding to reporters' questions. Photo by Yongjun Cho

According to the legal community on August 24, the 7th Criminal Division of the Seoul High Court (Presiding Judge Koo Hoegeun) granted Myung's request for bail on this day. As a result, Myung will undergo his appeal trial without detention.

During the bail hearing held on August 20, Myung's side argued, "There is no risk of evidence destruction, and we hope to be tried without detention in accordance with the principles of presumption of innocence and trial without arrest."

On the other hand, the special prosecutor's team led by Min Junggi opposed, stating that there was concern about the destruction of evidence because it was recognized as a fact in a separate case at the Busan High Court that Myung had concealed a mobile phone through his brother-in-law, an act that was ruled guilty in the first trial. Nevertheless, the court granted bail.

Myung was indicted on charges of providing a total of 58 public opinion surveys worth approximately 270 million won free of charge to the former president and his wife between June 2021 and March 2022.

In the first trial, the court found that 14 of the surveys, whose results were delivered directly by Myung to the former president and his wife, constituted political donations. Myung was sentenced to one year and six months in prison and was taken into custody in the courtroom.

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