Kim Seung-won’s text to drug regulator reignites COVID-19 trial lobbying controversy

A text message asking South Korea’s drug regulator to “please have the staff process it a little faster” has brought Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won’s past back into the spotlight just before his parliamentary confirmation hearing.

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Please have the staff process it a little faster.

According to case documents obtained by the Hankyoreh, prosecutors investigated Kim over a 2021 request to Kim Kang-lip, then head of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. Kim allegedly acted after a contact, identified only by the surname Yang, asked him to help a pharmaceutical company obtain approval for clinical trials of its COVID-19 treatment. In another message, Kim reportedly wrote that he was raising the issue because he was also concerned about the outflow of national wealth. He then passed along Kim Kang-lip’s reply, saying the matter would be looked after, to Yang.

The company reportedly hoped that trial approval would lift its share price. News about the timing of the approval was followed by repeated stock-price swings, according to the account. Investigators also raised allegations that people linked to the company tried to send Kim a 5 million won political donation.

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I mentioned it because I was also concerned about the outflow of national wealth.

Prosecutors issued a suspended indictment in December 2024. They took into account that there had been no direct exchange of money between Kim and company officials and that it was difficult to conclude definitively that the request itself was illegal. Kim later filed a constitutional complaint, arguing that the legal basis for the decision was wrong.

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I will make sure it is properly taken care of and passed along.

Opposition lawmakers have used the suspended indictment to intensify their attacks. Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon released the messages and said Kim knew better than anyone that they were not the only allegedly illegal solicitation texts. People Power Party lawmakers Na Kyung-won and Yoon Sang-hyun also demanded accountability and public disclosure of the indictment’s findings. The Democratic Party defended Kim, calling the criticism indiscriminate political pressure and an effort to damage him. Kim’s relationship with Yang is expected to become a central issue at the hearing, and his side said it would state its position on September 3.

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The criticism is nothing more than a political attack intended to obstruct criminal justice reform.