Justice minister nominee denies illegal COVID-19 treatment lobbying allegations

Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won denied allegations on Monday that he illegally lobbied for a COVID-19 treatment in 2021, while saying he should have been more careful in making the request. He said he contacted the then food and drug safety minister to keep the trial from being unfairly delayed during the pandemic. Kim also said prosecutors had withheld indictment because they could not definitively find illegal solicitation.

Kim Seung-won is a two-term lawmaker facing accusations of unlawful solicitation over a 2021 COVID-19 treatment approval case.

He said he called the then food and drug safety minister to prevent the drug from being unfairly delayed in clinical trial proceedings.

Prosecutors previously suspended indictment after determining his request could not be definitively found as illegal solicitation.

Kim said the minister and public officials connected to the case were not charged.

Independent Rep. Han Dong-hoon released alleged recordings between Kim and a broker about lobbying for the treatment.

Published Sep 7, 2026 10:56 am KST

Updated Sep 7, 2026 11:20 am KST

Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won speaks to reporters as he arrives at his office in Seoul, Monday, amid allegations that he illegally lobbied for a COVID-19 treatment in 2021. Yonhap

Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won on Monday denied allegations of illegal lobbying for a COVID-19 treatment in 2021, while acknowledging he should have been more careful in his request over the medication at the time.

Kim, a two-term lawmaker, has faced accusations of unlawful solicitation for allegedly asking the then food and drug safety minister to speed up the treatment's clinical trial approval at a broker's request.

"I take seriously the fact that I should have been more careful in conveying the request," Kim told reporters. "I never made an illegal solicitation to the food and drug ministry, and its review was not unfairly conducted as a result."

Kim said he had called the food and drug safety minister at the time to prevent the drug from being unfairly delayed in clinical trial proceedings, noting that COVID-19 treatments were being fast-tracked during the pandemic.

He also highlighted the prosecution's deferral of his indictment when they examined the case. Prosecutors previously withheld formally charging Kim after determining his request could not be definitively found as illegal solicitation.

"Prosecutors acknowledged there was no unlawful solicitation or distorting a fair review through its investigation result," he said, adding the minister and public officials connected to the case were not charged.

Kim has faced mounting pressure over the allegations, with independent Rep. Han Dong-hoon releasing alleged recordings between Kim and a broker about lobbying for the treatment.

Kim accused Han of leaking investigative material in a politically motivated attack, questioning how he obtained the material and demanding that he appear at his confirmation hearing.

法务部长官提名人金承元周一否认了有关他于2021年非法游说获取新冠肺炎治疗药物的指控，同时表示他当时在提出请求时应该更加谨慎。他表示，他曾联系当时的食品药品安全部长官，以避免疫情期间审判被不公正地拖延。金承元还表示，检方之所以暂缓起诉，是因为他们无法确凿地找到非法游说的证据。

金承元是一名连任两届的国会议员，他因2021年新冠肺炎治疗审批案面临非法索贿指控。

他说，他曾致电当时的食品药品安全部长，以防止该药物在临床试验程序中被不公平地拖延。

检察官此前已暂停起诉，因为他们认为无法确凿地认定他的请求构成非法索取。

金表示，涉案部长和公职人员均未被起诉。

独立议员韩东勋公布了据称是金某与一名经纪人就游说治疗方案进行的录音。

发布于2026年9月7日上午10:56（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年9月7日上午11:20（韩国标准时间）

周一，韩国法务部长官提名人金承元抵达首尔办公室时接受记者采访。此前，他被指控在2021年非法游说政府研发新冠肺炎治疗药物。（韩联社）

法务部长官提名人金承元周一否认了有关他在2021年非法游说获取新冠肺炎治疗药物的指控，同时承认当时在申请药物时应该更加谨慎。

曾任两届国会议员的金某被指控非法招揽，据称他应中间人的要求，要求当时的食品药品安全部长加快该疗法的临床试验审批。

金某告诉记者：“我非常重视自己在传达请求时应该更加谨慎这一事实。我从未向食品药品安全部进行过任何非法索取，因此该部门的审查也并无不公。”

金表示，他当时致电食品药品安全部长，以防止该药物在临床试验程序中被不公平地拖延，并指出在疫情期间，新冠肺炎治疗药物正在加快审批流程。

他还强调，检方在审查此案后暂缓对他提起诉讼。此前，检方在认定金某的请求无法确凿地构成非法索取后，并未正式对其提出指控。

他说：“检察官承认，调查结果中不存在非法索取或歪曲公正审查的行为”，并补充说，与此案有关的部长和公职人员没有被起诉。

金正恩因这些指控面临越来越大的压力，独立议员韩东勋公布了据称是金正恩与一名经纪人就游说治疗方案进行的录音。

金指责韩泄露调查材料是出于政治动机，并质疑他是如何获得这些材料的，同时要求他出席确认听证会。