Police mull reinvestigating justice minister nominee over Covid drug approval
Seoul police assigned a team to examine allegations that Kim Seung-won pressured regulators to fast-track a Covid-19 treatment, claims he denies.
Kim Seung-won, nominee for justice minister, arrives at his confirmation hearing preparation office in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Sept. 8.
YONHAP
Police in Seoul assigned an investigation team Tuesday to review a corruption complaint against Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won, moving toward a possible reinvestigation of an allegation that he pressured Korea's drug regulator to fast-track clinical trial approval of a Covid-19 treatment — a case prosecutors declined to pursue in 2024.
Local news outlet Yonhap reported Tuesday that Seoul Yeongdeungpo Police Station received Kim's case that morning and began a legal review based on the complaint.
A day earlier, Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Commissioner Ko Beom-seok told reporters at a briefing that police were reviewing whether they could reopen an investigation into the pressure allegations — for which prosecutors deferred an indictment in December 2024.
Given that the case was assigned to an investigation team, police appear to have concluded that a reinvestigation is possible.
The potential justice minister is accused of using his political influence in 2021 to pressure Kim Kang-lip, then head of Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), into fast-tracking clinical trial approval for a Covid-19 treatment made by Genencell — allegedly at the request of Genencell's CEO, relayed through a broker. Complainants also allege Kim agreed to accept political donations in exchange for making that request, which they argue amounts to an abuse of authority.
"I called the MFDS commissioner to ask that the process be handled fairly, without interference, and that a delayed procedure be expedited," Kim's team said. "I never made an improper solicitation to the MFDS, and it didn't result in an unfair review by the agency."
"Prosecutors, in their investigation, found no improper solicitation or distortion of a fair review, and the MFDS commissioner and officials involved were all cleared of suspicion," it added.
BY SHIN HYE-YEON [[email protected]]
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
