(2nd LD) Justice minister nominee denies illegal COVID-19 treatment lobbying allegations

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(ATTN: UPDATES with details on criminal complaint in paras 7-9)

SEOUL, Sept. 7 (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."

Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won speaks to reporters as he arrives at his office in central Seoul on Sept. 7, 2026. (Yonhap)

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.

Police said Monday they are looking into whether the case could be reinvestigated after a civic group filed a criminal complaint against Kim over the allegations last week.

Ko Beom-seok, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, told reporters in a briefing the complaint will likely be assigned to a police team later in the day.

Legal sources believe a reinvestigation could take place, considering the case did not receive a court verdict.

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.

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr (END)

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(2nd LD) Justice minister nominee denies illegal COVID-19 treatment lobbying allegations

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（注意：第 7-9 段更新了刑事投诉的详细信息）

首尔，9月7日（韩联社）——韩国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。”

2026年9月7日，韩国法务部长官提名人金承元抵达首尔市中心办公室时接受记者采访。（韩联社）

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。

警方周一表示，他们正在调查是否可以重新调查此案，此前一个公民团体上周就这些指控对金某提起了刑事诉讼。

首尔地方警察厅厅长高范锡在新闻发布会上告诉记者，该投诉很可能会在当天晚些时候分配给某个警察小组进行调查。

法律界人士认为，鉴于此案尚未得到法院判决，可能会进行重新调查。

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。

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr (完)

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（第二条）司法部长提名人否认非法游说新冠肺炎治疗的指控