Kim Seung-won, the nominee for Minister of the Ministry of Justice, was reported to police over allegations that he was involved in lobbying for a COVID-19 treatment.
Former Seoul City Council member Lee Jong-bae said on the 4th that he filed a complaint with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency accusing nominee Kim and former Ministery of Food and Drug Safety Commissioner Kim Gang-lip of violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act, abuse of authority, dereliction of duty, and other charges.
The former city council member argued, "If the nominee asked for Genencell's clinical trial plan to be approved swiftly when the supplementary materials required by relevant laws and the safety and efficacy reviews had not been sufficiently completed, it could constitute a violation of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act."
The nominee is suspected of having, in 2021, at the request of a broker surnamed Yang, asked then Ministery of Food and Drug Safety Commissioner Kim Gang-lip to look after approval of a clinical trial for drugmaker Genencell's COVID-19 treatment. He received a suspended indictment in connection with the case.
The nominee's confirmation hearing preparation team said the previous day, "During the COVID-19 pandemic, we asked that the clinical trial procedures of a domestic small and midsize company not be unduly delayed," adding, "We did not ask for approval of the treatment, priority review, relaxed standards, or omission of procedures."
The nominee also said the previous day, as he arrived at the confirmation hearing preparation team's office, "There was no provision of favors." He added, "The prosecution should have cleared me, but it was unjust to suspend indictment on the grounds that I introduced a method of sponsorship."