Lee Jong-won, CEO of Sisa Tapa, Admits Public Opinion Poll Manipulation Idea Was 'Mine' on Air…Fueling 'Cutting Off the Tail' Suspicions

In a text message conversation with reporter Kang Jin-gu, Lee Jong-won mentioned the 'Jaem Village bulletin board' idea and stated that it was not his. However, he later clearly admitted on his own broadcast that the idea of manipulating the public opinion poll was "my idea." The New Tam Sa production team suspected that Lee Jong-won's reversal of statements was either an attempt to dismiss reporter Kang Jin-gu's question as a 'sting operation' or an effort to 'cut off the tail' by taking sole responsibility.

Representative Choi Min-hee's promotional material included content to induce responses to public opinion polls, along with specific poll numbers. The production team pointed out the possibility that the public opinion poll response numbers Lee Jong-won secured through real-time chat might have been leaked to Representative Choi Min-hee's side and used in a coordinated manner. These circumstances raise suspicions that the public opinion poll manipulation was not an isolated act by Lee Jong-won but rather a conspiracy with the 'Team Jung Cheong-rae' organization.

Representative Choi Min-hee recently blamed the media for the decline in approval ratings and mentioned the need for media reform. The New Tam Sa production team analyzed that Representative Choi Min-hee's remarks might be a response to the possibility of Lee Jong-won's poll manipulation controversy spreading to the entire 'Team Jung Cheong-rae.' This is interpreted as an attempt to proactively prevent the controversy from affecting the entire team.

The New Tam Sa production team stated that they confirmed Lee Jong-won's voice trembling during his broadcast through earphones. Lee Jong-won's trembling voice was analyzed as indicating an extremely anxious psychological state. This is interpreted as a result of increased fear due to the pressure of prosecution, especially after Representative Kim Min-seok announced legal action against Lee Jong-won.

It is anticipated that Lee Jong-won's public opinion poll manipulation case will likely be assigned to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, rather than the Mapo Police Station, which is his usual area of activity. This is seen as a measure considering the seriousness and widespread impact of the case. Drawing parallels to past cases, such as the Unified Progressive Party (Tongjin-dang) in 2012, it is suggested that if this complaint proceeds, it could lead to Lee Jong-won's arrest and investigation.

A press conference is scheduled for Thursday at 9:20 AM at the National Assembly Communication Hall to condemn Lee Jong-won, CEO of Sisa Tapa, for his public opinion poll manipulation and to urge his prosecution. This press conference is expected to highlight that Lee Jong-won's controversy is not a simple incident but a serious issue, and to amplify calls for a thorough investigation by relevant authorities.