Justice minister nominee hits back over lobbying allegations

Justice minister nominee Kim Seung-won said Tuesday at his confirmation hearing in the National Assembly that, if appointed, he would stop police and prosecution investigative information from being used politically. He accused Rep. Han Dong-hoon of disclosing probe materials about his alleged lobbying case and called for an explanation of how the materials were obtained. Kim also apologized for public concern and pledged to push prosecution reform and a new criminal justice system separating investigative and prosecutorial powers.

Kim said he would correct the practice of political use of investigative information if he becomes minister.

He asked for an inspection into whether confidential internal prosecution materials were leaked to Rep. Han Dong-hoon.

The lobbying allegations center on Kim’s alleged role in seeking approval for a pharmaceutical company’s COVID-19 clinical drug trial in October 2021.

Prosecutors later suspended the indictment after investigating the case.

The hearing also dealt with allegations that a cooperative run by Kim’s wife received preferential treatment in a government-funded voucher program for children with developmental disabilities.

Published Sep 15, 2026 4:01 pm KST

Kim Seung-won claims probe materials about corruption allegations 'politically used'

Justice minister nominee Kim Seung-won answers questions during his confirmation hearing at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

Justice minister nominee Kim Seung-won said Tuesday, that if he is appointed, he will prevent information about an investigation by the police or prosecution from being “used politically.”

His pledge is an apparent counterattack against independent Rep. Han Dong-hoon’s disclosure of probe materials about Kim’s alleged illegal lobbying activities. The justice minister nominee said Han, a former prosecutor, should disclose how he obtained the investigation materials.

"If I am given the opportunity to serve as minister, I will correct [the practice of] the political use of investigative information," Kim said in his opening remarks at his confirmation hearing at the National Assembly.

Kim, also a two-term lawmaker, was suspected of using his influence to lobby for the approval of a pharmaceutical company's COVID-19 clinical drug trial in October 2021, although prosecutors later suspended the indictment following an investigation.

Han brought back the allegation after Kim's nomination was announced. Kim and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) then claimed that Han obtained confidential information from the prosecution and used it to attack the nominee.

Han's background has given Kim room to portray himself as a victim of a politically motivated prosecution and underscore the need for follow-up measures to implement prosecution reform, a task he said he would take on if appointed.

“If appointed minister, I will make sure to find out whether confidential internal prosecution materials were leaked to Rep. Han,” Kim said.

He added that the materials Han disclosed were internal documents which neither suspects nor lawyers could not access, calling for an inspection to find out whether investigation materials involving other political cases could also have been leaked.

Rep. Seo Young-kyo of the DPK, who chaired Kim’s confirmation hearing as head of the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee, backed the nominee’s claims and called for an investigation into the alleged leak of prosecution materials.

“If materials that should never have left the prosecution ended up in someone else’s hands, that would be a serious crime,” Seo said. “We need to thoroughly investigate how that happened, trace the log-in records and identify who accessed the materials.”

Seo went on to note that Kim was investigated for three years during the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, while Han was the justice minister.

“They thoroughly investigated him under Han and still found nothing substantial enough to prosecute him,” Seo said. “They should be apologizing to him, but instead, aren’t they trying to trap him?”

The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) accused Kim and the DPK of “brazenly turning the tables” on his critics instead of addressing the suspicions against him.

Rep. Park Hyeung-soo of the PPP criticized the DPK for refusing to call people involved in the lobbying case as witnesses, and Kim for failing to submit all requested materials.

“The DPK is turning this into a hollow and inadequate hearing,” Park said.

In addition to the lobbying case, the hearing also addressed suspicions that a cooperative run by Kim’s wife received preferential treatment for a government-funded voucher program.

The allegations center on whether his family improperly benefited from public funds intended for children with developmental disabilities.

Meanwhile, Kim apologized for the controversies surrounding him, saying, “I am sorry for causing public concern over the suspicions involving me.”

He also pledged to oversee the transition to a new criminal justice system that separates investigative and prosecutorial powers.

法务部长官提名人金承元周二在国会确认听证会上表示，如果获得任命，他将阻止警方和检方的调查信息被用于政治目的。他指责议员韩东勋泄露了有关其涉嫌游说案件的调查材料，并要求韩东勋解释这些材料的获取途径。金承元还就公众的担忧表示歉意，并承诺将推动检控改革，建立一套将调查权和检控权分离的新刑事司法体系。

金正恩表示，如果他当选部长，他将纠正将调查信息用于政治目的的做法。

他要求调查是否有机密的内部起诉材料泄露给了议员韩东勋。

游说指控的核心是金某涉嫌在 2021 年 10 月寻求批准一家制药公司的 COVID-19 临床药物试验。

检察官在调查此案后，暂停了起诉。

听证会还涉及有关金的妻子经营的合作社在政府资助的针对发育障碍儿童的代金券计划中获得优待的指控。

发布于2026年9月15日下午4:01（韩国标准时间）

金承元声称有关腐败指控的调查材料被“政治利用”

周二，韩国法务部长官提名人金承元在首尔汝矣岛国会大厦出席确认听证会并回答提问。（韩联社）

司法部长提名人金承元周二表示，如果他被任命，他将防止警方或检方调查的信息被“用于政治目的”。

他的承诺显然是对独立议员韩东勋披露有关金某涉嫌非法游说活动的调查材料的反击。这位法务部长提名人表示，曾任检察官的韩东勋应该公开他是如何获得这些调查材料的。

“如果我有机会担任部长，我将纠正将调查信息政治化的做法，”金在国会确认听证会的开场白中说道。

金某曾连任两届国会议员，他被怀疑在 2021 年 10 月利用其影响力游说批准一家制药公司的 COVID-19 临床药物试验，但检察官在调查后暂停了起诉。

在金某被提名后，韩某再次提出指控。金某和执政的朝鲜共同民主党随后声称，韩某从检方获取了机密信息，并利用这些信息攻击金某。

韩的背景让金有空间将自己描绘成政治迫害的受害者，并强调需要采取后续措施来落实检控改革，他表示如果被任命，他将承担这项任务。

“如果我被任命为部长，我将确保查明是否有机密的内部起诉材料泄露给了韩议员，”金说。

他还补充说，韩披露的材料是内部文件，嫌疑人和律师都无法查阅，并呼吁进行检查，以查明是否还有其他政治案件的调查材料也被泄露。

主持金某担任国会立法司法委员会委员长确认听证会的朝鲜民主主义人民共和国议员徐英教支持了该候选人的说法，并呼吁对检方材料泄露事件展开调查。

“如果本不该离开检方的材料落入他人之手，那将是严重的犯罪行为，”徐说。“我们需要彻底调查事情的来龙去脉，追踪登录记录，查明是谁访问了这些材料。”

徐还指出，金某在尹锡烈执政期间被调查了三年，当时韩正担任司法部长。

“韩某领导下，他们对他进行了彻底调查，但仍然没有找到足以起诉他的实质性证据，”徐某说。“他们应该向他道歉，但现在，他们难道不是在试图陷害他吗？”

主要反对党人民力量党指责金正恩和朝鲜“厚颜无耻地扭转局势”，攻击批评者，而不是回应针对他的怀疑。

人民进步党议员朴亨洙批评民主党拒绝传唤游说案相关人员作为证人，并批评金某未能提交所有要求的材料。

朴先生说：“民主党正在把这次听证会变成一场空洞而无意义的听证会。”

除了游说案件外，听证会还涉及了金的妻子经营的一家合作社是否在政府资助的代金券计划中获得了优惠待遇的怀疑。

这些指控的核心在于他的家人是否不当利用了原本用于帮助发育障碍儿童的公共资金。

与此同时，金正恩就围绕他的争议道歉，他说：“对于因我的疑虑而引起公众的担忧，我深感抱歉。”

他还承诺监督向新的刑事司法系统过渡，该系统将调查权和起诉权分开。