Han Dong-hoon, an independent lawmaker, refuted on the 5th Kim Seung-won, the Ministry of Justice Minister nominee, over his explanation that a photo taken in February 2022 with Broker Yang, allegedly involved in the “new drug solicitation scandal,” and a judge in charge of arrest warrants was a “coincidental encounter,” calling it a “blatant lie.” Han posted on Facebook that day, “Was it truly a ‘coincidental’ encounter with Mr. Yang around February 2022?” and released a transcript of a phone call between Kim and Broker Yang on February 9, 2022.
According to the transcript released by Han, Kim referred to Yang as “younger brother” and said, “I’m so emotional I could cry from missing you.” When Yang asked, “How about it? Should I rush over? Where are you?” Kim replied, “Yeouido.” Yang then said, “I’m in Hanam, and it’ll take an hour to get there. Is that okay?” Kim answered, “Of course.” Yang added, “It takes an hour from Hanam to Yeouido.”
When Kim said, “Just a moment… There’s also the court personnel schedule,” Yang responded, “Oh, is it too long?” Kim then said, “I’ll wait here.”
In a second call, Kim told Yang, “It’s a shame if we can only meet for 20 or 30 minutes.” Yang replied, “I’m not disappointed. I’m bringing a lot of stuff, so just wait.” Kim answered, “Okay, I’ll wait.” Han questioned, “What was the ‘stuff’ Broker Yang brought in large quantities during the call on the night of February 9, 2022?”
Han also released a transcript from October 2021, where Yang mentioned Kim during a call with someone else. Yang said regarding solicitation for new drug approval, “Unlocking permits is handled by Seung-won Oppa. He told the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety head and today asked, ‘Should I push the Ministry of Health and Welfare too?’” Yang continued, “He always tells me, ‘Since you’re the antenna, and the sponsorship money is only 5 million Korean won, talk about how I’m doing well. Everything moves through you.’”
Regarding this transcript, Han stated, “Kim implied that since he only receives 5 million Korean won in sponsorship money, Broker Yang should sufficiently benefit from the lobbying he did for the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety head.” Han asked, “Is allowing a broker to profit what the Democratic Party calls ‘public interest civil petitions’?” He added, “Kim Min-seok, the Democratic Party leader, said he would avoid answering my questions and flee. That attitude is the Democratic Party’s response.”
The Democratic Party of Korea responded on the same day, “Unfounded allegations against Kim Seung-won, the Ministry of Justice Minister nominee, have gone too far,” and refuted, “The People Power Party’s preemptive conclusion before the hearing is not an investigation but a political attack.”
Kim Sung-hoi, the party’s chief spokesperson, stated in a written briefing, “The allegations raised by the People Power Party are not new. The Yoon Suk-yeol government’s prosecutors investigated these matters extensively over a long period.” He added, “All possible measures, including seizures and summons, were used, but no indictment was made. Are they now denying the conclusions of the prosecutors they once commanded?”
Kim, a former judge, was investigated in 2021 for allegedly soliciting the approval of a clinical trial for Genencell, a COVID-19 treatment company, through a broker and requesting the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety head. However, prosecutors suspended indictment in December 2024.
Kim stated, “At the time, the People Power Party was the ruling party, and the legal and prosecutorial leadership was appointed by the Yoon Suk-yeol government. How could there have been constraints in investigating a single opposition lawmaker? Even on an uneven playing field, they failed to bring it to trial.” He continued, “The People Power Party is presuming bribery and mentioning prison without confirmed facts. No money was exchanged. The nominee was never indicted, and no court ruled him guilty. Jang Dong-hyeok, the People Power Party leader, is pushing for a guilty verdict the courts haven’t made. If he wants to rule, he should put on a judge’s robe again.”
Park Sung-hoon, the People Power Party’s senior spokesperson, commented, “Kim solicited a broker who calls him ‘Oppa’ to pressure the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for faster clinical trial approval. As a result, countless investors suffered from stock price crashes.” He added, “Democratic Party members defending this as ‘legitimate civil petition handling’ must disclose all petitions they’ve processed under the guise of ‘petitions’ to the public.”
Choi Soo-jin, the party’s chief floor spokesperson, stated, “Kim’s corruption has no end. Beyond suspicions of creating slush funds for the Gyeonggi Province party, there are collusion allegations that he summoned a judge in charge of arrest warrants to a private drinking session to secure dismissal.” She criticized, “At this point, he is not a nominee for a state council member but a suspect who should be immediately arrested. The reason for appointing such a suspect as the head of the Ministry of Justice is clear: to erase the president’s judicial risks by leading the ‘Lee Jae Myung Indictment Cancellation Group.’”
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