Seoul: Allegations of improper solicitation have raised significant doubts about the suitability of Kim Seung-won to serve as justice minister after recent revelations that he had been previously investigated for possibly exerting undue influence in his capacity as a lawmaker.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the controversy centers around an incident in October 2021 when Kim, then a first-term Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker, was allegedly involved in requesting expedited approval for clinical trials of a COVID-19 drug developed by Genencell. This request reportedly came at the behest of Yang, a female broker and acquaintance of Kim. Although Kim was investigated, prosecutors opted not to indict him in December 2024.
Yang, who is currently on trial for allegedly promising to bribe Kim, reportedly acted on behalf of Genencell's founder, Kang, to facilitate quick approval of the clinical trials. Yang's familiarity with Kim, addressing him as "oppa," has added layers to the ongoing investigation. Notably, the trials were approved merely two weeks after Kim intervened with Kim Kang-lip, then head of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.
Despite Kim's assertions of innocence and claims of merely addressing a public-interest issue, Yang's indictment suggests otherwise. It details conversations where Kim allegedly indicated the maximum allowable political contribution and provided his bank account details, seemingly encouraging financial support for favorable outcomes.
The situation further muddied when a selfie surfaced, showing Kim dining with Yang, Kang, and a judge involved in a critical review of Kang's legal matters. The Supreme Prosecutors' Office's petition to recuse the judge due to conflict of interest concerns was rejected, though the initial denial of an arrest warrant for Kang was later overturned by another judge.
Compounding the issue is the financial turmoil following the clinical trial's approval. The stock price of Sejong Medical, Genencell's largest shareholder following Kang's share sale, skyrocketed before plummeting upon revelations of concealed negative trial results, leading to significant investor losses.
Scrutiny on phone and text exchanges between Yang and Kim, revealed by independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon, indicates potential awareness of the trial approval's impact on Genencell's stock price and possible personal gains for Kim.
Calls for a reinvestigation into Kim's actions and potential stock price manipulation are intensifying, especially in light of initial prosecutorial plans to indict Kim with an eight-month prison sentence. The manner in which these charges were reduced to a suspension of indictment remains a focal point of public interest.
The unfolding events have led to widespread questioning of Kim's qualifications for any public office, particularly the high-profile role of justice minister.
Source: Yonhap News Agency