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🇰🇷 South Korea /Elections & Politics

Han Dong-hoon broadens ‘MFDS lobbying’ allegations to Democratic Party figures, calling it the ‘Democratic Party Brothers Gate’

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon released text messages and call details that he said linked broker Yang to Kim Seung-won, former presidential aide Choi Jae-sung and Democratic Party lawmaker Song Young-gil over approval of a COVID-19 drug trial plan.
  • Han alleged that Yang expected to gain 800 million to 1 billion won if the Food and Drug Safety Ministry approved the plan, while the people named denied wrongdoing or involvement.

Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon has widened allegations over suspected lobbying for a COVID-19 drug, branding the affair the “Democratic Party Brothers Gate” and releasing messages that he said pointed beyond Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won.

Han published a 2021 text exchange involving pharmaceutical company GenNCell founder Kang and broker Yang. The messages discussed securing approval for the company’s clinical trial plan from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety before GenNCell shares were sold to Sejong Medical on Oct. 19, 2021.

The Democratic Party Brothers Gate has emerged, with more Democratic Party brothers appearing besides Seung-won.

· Han Dong-hoonHan described the widening allegations in a Facebook post accompanying the release of text messages.

In the exchange, Kang said he needed to meet a lawmaker before the approval deadline. Yang replied that former presidential senior secretary Choi Jae-sung would visit his office the following day and that he would press Choi for help. Yang also said Song Young-gil was difficult to move without money. The messages referred to a possible investment of about 800 million to 1 billion won in Yang’s company.

Yang is someone I met through a volunteer organization. I have never gone to Yang’s office, and I did not lobby the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.

· Choi Jae-sungChoi denied involvement when contacted by the Hankyoreh.

Han also released a conversation between Yang and Choi. Yang said Kim had been told that an investment in GenNCell could lead to an investment of 800 million to 1 billion won in Yang’s company through convertible bonds. Choi responded briefly that Kim had acted with good intentions, according to the published exchange.

Choi told the Hankyoreh that he met Yang through a volunteer organization, had never visited Yang’s office and had not sought favors from the ministry. Song said he did not know Yang and accused Han of damaging his reputation by selectively releasing parts of a one-sided conversation.

I do not know this person at all. Selectively releasing parts of a one-sided conversation is damaging my reputation.

· Song Young-gilSong denied knowing Yang in a Facebook statement.
About this summary

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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