Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon released a recording of a phone call with a broker surnamed Yang, who was involved in a case of seeking approval for a new drug clinical trial and is linked to Minister of Justice nominee Kim Seung-won. He also pushed back against the nominee's explanation that he "ran into" Yang by chance, citing a recording that includes setting up an appointment. The Democratic Party of Korea countered that this is "a matter that even prosecutors under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration did not indict," calling it a political attack.
On Sept. 5, Han posted on Facebook a recording of a phone call on Feb. 9, 2022, between Kim and Yang, and asked, "Is it true that you 'happened' to run into Yang around February 2022?"
In the recording, Kim, then a first-term lawmaker, told Yang, "Younger one, I miss you so much my eyes are tearing up, just." When Yang asked, "Oppa, I'll run over now. Where are you?" Kim answered, "Yeouido."
When Yang then said, "I'll head out right now, so give me the address," Kim said, "It's also our court's personnel season and so on." When Yang asked, "Ah, is that too long?" Kim replied, "I'll wait."
In a second phone call the same day, Kim told Yang, "If we can only meet for 20–30 minutes, that's a shame." When Yang said, "I'm on my way with lots of stuff packed, so just wait there," Kim replied, "Okay, okay, I'll be here."
Releasing this recording, Han publicly asked Kim what the "stuff" Yang mentioned was.
Han also released a recording of a phone call Yang had with another person in Oct. 2021. Regarding the alleged request for approval of a new drug clinical trial, Yang said, "The one who can clear the licensing is Seung-won oppa," asserting in substance that Kim would talk to the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety commissioner and said, "Shall I push it at the Ministry of Health and Welfare?"
On that basis, Han raised a suspicion that Kim exercised influence over the clinical trial approval process and enabled Yang to take the reward.
The Democratic Party argued that the opposition's attacks on Kim are closer to political labeling than to verifying facts.
Kim Seong-hoe, a floor spokesperson for the Democratic Party, said in a written briefing that day, "Driving this to a predetermined conclusion even before the hearing begins is not verification but a political attack," adding, "They are branding a nominee whom even prosecutors under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration could not indict."
Kim stressed that prosecutors at the time investigated Kim in all directions but did not indict. Kim asked rhetorically, "The People Power Party was the ruling party then. What constraints could there have been on an investigation targeting a single opposition lawmaker?"
Kim went on, "They are declaring bribery and even talking about prison over a matter not yet established," arguing, "There was no exchange of money or valuables."
Aimed at People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok, a former judge, Kim said, "You are zealous in declaring the nominee guilty, something even the court has not done," criticizing, "If you want to sentence that badly, put on your robes again."
Kim also criticized the way the recordings were released, saying, "The public will no longer be fooled by cutting out only favorable parts and hiding unfavorable context," and stressed that the confirmation hearing should verify based on facts and materials.
Earlier, in Oct. 2021, Kim was investigated on suspicion of requesting approval for a clinical trial of the treatment from then Ministery of Food and Drug Safety Commissioner Kim Gang-lip after receiving a request from Yang. Prosecutors found that no direct exchange of money or valuables was confirmed and judged it difficult to conclude the illegality of the request, granting Kim a suspension of indictment in Dec. 2024.
Later, in Feb. 2022, when a photo of Kim, Yang, and a judge in charge of warrants, a person surnamed Jeong, taken together was released, the controversy flared again. Kim's confirmation hearing preparation team explained that, regarding the photo, they had "only happened to run into" the two at a public private gathering and that there were no meetings or contacts afterward.
They also said Judge Jeong did not take part in the warrant review for Yang's case, and that two requests for an arrest warrant for Yang were reviewed and rejected by other judges exclusively in charge of warrants, unrelated to Judge Jeong.