Justice minister nominee apologizes for causing concern over alleged lobbying
Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won on Friday apologized for causing public concern over allegations of illegal lobbying for a new drug but continued to claim innocence, saying he will provide a detailed explanation at his parliamentary confirmation hearing. "As a politician, I am truly sorry for causing concern to the public," Kim told reporters arriving at his temporary office in Seoul. Kim,…
Kim Seung-won, the nominee for Justice Minister, apologized on Friday for causing public concern over allegations of illegal lobbying related to a new drug, while still maintaining his innocence. He stated that he will provide a detailed explanation during his parliamentary confirmation hearing. Kim, a two-term lawmaker from the ruling Democratic Party, was selected by President Lee Jae Myung last month but has faced backlash due to accusations of illegal lobbying.
The allegations claim that Kim lobbied the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in 2021 to expedite approval for a COVID-19 treatment at the request of a broker. Kim insisted that his actions were a public interest petition, aiming to address unfairness caused by a small company's procedures being stalled due to pressure from a multinational corporation.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
