Justice Minister Nominee Scandal Deepens as Transcripts Emerge

Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won speaks about his nomination on Nov. 3 as he arrives at his confirmation hearing preparation office at the Jeokseon Hyundai Building in Seoul's Jongno district. Photo by Cho Tae-hyung Allegations that Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won improperly lobbied for approval of a drug clinical trial are deepening. At the core of the allegations is a claim that Kim, then a ruling party lawmaker, asked Kim Kang-lip, who was head of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety at the time, to expedite approval of a pharmaceutical company's clinical trial for a COVID-19 treatment in 2021, at the request of a broker surnamed Yang. Kim's side countered that it was a "public-interest grievance petition" and that he met Yang by chance at a private gathering. Yet transcripts and text messages containing circumstances that remain difficult to accept have been released one after another through the opposition. According to a transcript released on the 6th, Kim told Yang by phone on Oct. 12, 2021: "I'll ask the commissioner himself to look into it and to report back." In a follow-up call, when Yang relayed that "they say it isn't getting past the director-general level," Kim replied, "It's blocked at the director-general level? Understood." Also on that day, an aide surnamed Ko, who served as secretary to former Commissioner Kim, is said to have sent a text message to a ministry official reading: "Director, Rep. Kim Seung-won sent a separate text message. The commissioner said he would look into it, but asked that such talk not come from that side again in the future." The ruling party defended the nominee, saying that a past prosecution investigation found no evidence that Kim received money or valuables and that the case was closed with a suspended indictment. The opposition, by contrast, argues that his qualifications for justice minister are in doubt and is calling for an investigation into the allegations and the withdrawal of his nomination. Civic groups have also recently filed a complaint with police against Kim on charges including violating the Political Funds Act, abuse of authority and violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act. Because the justice minister holds a weighty post overseeing the rule of law in government, the substantive truth about moral allegations against a nominee must be established through proper legal and institutional procedures. To make matters worse, Kim is also dogged by a prior drunk-driving conviction and controversy over his legal defense of a sex offender. The presidential office should take this opportunity to overhaul its personnel vetting system entirely, given the unending disputes over the competence, qualifications and integrity of senior government nominees. Compounding matters, a remark by a former Democratic Party official that "the personnel line is Kim Hyun-ji" — referring to the head of the presidential office's first secretariat, known as a close confidant of President Lee Jae-myung — has caused a major stir. Those who hold appointment authority and their aides must reflect on why public distrust of state affairs has grown. Watch · Seoul Economic Daily More → 2:39 Treasury Share Sales Vanish: One Disposal in Two Months After EB Crackdown | September 04 2026 | Securities Daily 2:39