Han Dong-hoon Calls Drug-Approval Lobbying Case a ‘Democratic Party Brothers’ Gate’

Han Dong-hoon has widened his attack over alleged lobbying for approval of a COVID-19 drug trial, calling the affair the “Democratic Party brothers’ gate.”

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Yang's drug-lobbying gate involving 'brothers' was the 'Democratic Party brothers' gate. More 'Democratic Party brothers' appear besides Brother Seung-won.

The independent lawmaker released messages that he said were exchanged by businessman Yang and Kang, the founder of GenNCell, in connection with allegations involving Kim Seung-won, the nominee for justice minister. Han said the messages mentioned other Democratic Party lawmakers as well.

In one message dated Oct. 8, 2021, Kang asked Yang to help arrange a meeting before the 19th, when approval for the investigational new drug application was needed. Yang replied that “Lawmaker Choi” would visit the office the following day. Yang added that Kim Seung-won could not act until a parliamentary audit ended, and said Song Young-gil was difficult to move without money. The identity of the lawmaker referred to as Choi was not established in the article.

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The approval for the investigational new drug application must come before the 19th. Could we visit you briefly when you have time, even if it is not for a meal?

Kang then asked Yang to request approval that week after supplementary documents were submitted to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. Yang said he had already explained the matter to Kim and referred to a possible investment of about 800 million won, possibly rising to 1 billion won. Yang said the money was not a fee but an investment, according to the messages Han released.

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Lawmaker Choi is coming to our office tomorrow. Brother Seung-won says he has to wait until the parliamentary audit is over, so I will press Lawmaker Choi. Song Young-gil is a fox, so you have to give him money to get him to move.

Han said the exchange also referred to lawmakers identified as Choi and Kim, as well as Song, whom Han said had criticized him while describing Yang’s lobbying as a legitimate public petition. He argued that the messages made it appear that Choi had also been involved in the drug regulator’s approval process. Han said the public should decide whether the case represented a genuine public-interest petition or “fraud involving Democratic Party brothers,” after the Democratic Party allegedly chose to characterize Yang’s lobbying as a public matter.

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Whether these messages show a genuine public-interest petition or fraud involving Democratic Party brothers, I want the people to judge.