The ruling party, has brought up allegations that Democratic Party candidate Kim Seung-won was involved in a 'new drug solicitation scandal' and stated, "A 'prosecutorial disposition of 'guilty but with a stay of indictment' means that there is a crime."

The National Power Party announced on the 2nd that it was revisiting accusations against National Power Party nominee Kim Seung-won regarding his past involvement in the approval of a COVID-19 treatment drug during a clinical trial. During a press conference the day before, Kim presented a written apology to National Assembly Internal Law and Criminal Affairs Committee Chairwoman Seong Kyung-jae.

This incident ignited controversy after it was captured on camera. National Power Party lawmaker Yang Ki-won discussed the matter on YTN Radio’s “Jang Seung-chol’s News Main Party” program, stating that the "core of the issue is the pharmaceutical agency (Pharmaceutical Agency) lobbying suspicion." Yang clarified that "the acquittal and no accusation are different; the latter means there is no crime, while the former implies the crime is minor and not worthy of prosecution."

Moreover, Yang expressed that Kim's request for expedited clinical trials for the COVID-19 treatment drug in exchange for a 5 million won political funding donation to the pharmaceutical agency was inappropriate. The suspect was accused of attempting to transfer approximately 500,000 won to Kim's political funding account to facilitate the clinical trial.

The Seoul Metropolitan Public Prosecutor's Office issued a guilty verdict in 2024 for Kim's bribery accusation, but he is reportedly preparing a constitutional appeal to overturn the decision. National Power Party lawmaker Yu San-hyun criticized the media circus surrounding the COVID-19 treatment drug approval suspicion involving Kim Seung-won, urging the public to verify the scope of the suspicion and the reasons behind it through the acquittal notice.