It was revealed that the son of Director General Judge Jeong, who dismissed the arrest warrant for a person surnamed Kang, the CEO of the pharmaceutical company Genencell, over the "new drug lobbying allegations," worked as a legislative assistant in the office of Minister nominee Kim Seung-won. Kim's side said it is clear that there is no causal relationship between the warrant dismissal and the legislative assistant work.
According to legal sources on the 10th, the son of Director General Judge Jeong, who is acquainted with the nominee Kim, worked as a legislative assistant in 2024 in the office of lawmaker Kim Seung-won. A National Assembly member can hire nine paid aides whose wages are paid by the National Assembly Secretariat and may have two additional legislative assistants. However, legislative assistants are not paid by the state, and they may or may not receive pay at the discretion of the lawmaker. Still, young people apply to be legislative assistants because they can build experience that helps them write their resumes.
Kim's confirmation preparation team said, "Judge Jeong's son experienced office work as a legislative assistant under the National Assembly member in accordance with the general procedures of a lawmaker's activities to provide students with experience in National Assembly work," adding, "Claims that this was a reward are not valid."
They also said of Director General Judge Jeong, "A colleague judge who worked with the nominee in the past and has continued to meet through various legal community gatherings since," adding, "There was no exchange of calls or discussions with Judge Jeong regarding any specific case."
Previously, a photo taken in Feb. 2022 at a restaurant in Yeouido, Seoul, showing nominee Kim, a broker surnamed Yang involved in the new drug lobbying allegations, and Director General Judge Jeong together, was made public. Kim explained that they met by chance in a private setting, but in a recording later released by independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon, Kim referred to Judge Jeong to Yang as "my best buddy."
According to the recording, when Kim said to Yang, "I suddenly have Director General Judge Jeong OO here," Yang replied, "Oh, you know. OO oppa." Kim also said, "(Director General Judge Jeong) called from there and I'm on my way there," and when Yang asked, "Where is the place?" Kim answered, "Yeouido. Yeouido." It appears Kim called Yang while heading to a drinking gathering in Yeouido after being contacted by Director General Judge Jeong.
Director General Judge Jeong and nominee Kim are senior and junior from Seoul National University School of Law and worked together at the Jeonju District Court in 2002. When prosecutors sought an arrest warrant in 2003 for the CEO surnamed Kang of Genencell on charges including breach of trust and obstruction of business, the Seoul Western District Court dismissed it, and the warrant-duty judge at the time was Director General Judge Jeong.