{
  "id": 8366244,
  "title": "Kim withdraws as justice minister nominee",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/19/kim-withdraws-as-justice-minister-nominee",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-19T03:02:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/politics/20260919/kim-withdraws-as-justice-minister-nominee"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Kim Seung-won, a two-term lawmaker of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), withdrew his nomination as justice minister on Saturday following allegations related to his involvement in COVID-19 treatment and the approval of its clinical trials. In a press conference at the National Assembly, Kim expressed regret for not meeting the expectations placed upon him. The decision to step down came after a parliamentary committee adopted his confirmation hearing report on Thursday, despite objections raised by the main opposition People Power Party against the allegations. Prior to his nomination, Kim had served as a judge at the Jeonju District Court and the Suwon District Court. He had previously worked in the presidential office under the liberal Moon Jae-in administration, holding a position in the office of political affairs. Kim was elected to the 21st National Assembly in 2020 and subsequently served as the chief of the DPK's legal affairs committee.",
  "summary": "Justice minister nominee Kim Seung-won withdrew his nomination on Saturday following allegations concerning his involvement in a COVID-19 treatment and approval of its clinical trials. “After much deliberation, I decided to step down as the nominee for justice minister. I apologize for failing to live up to your expectations,” Kim said during a press conference at the National Assembly. The move…",
  "key_points": [
    "Kim Seung-won withdrew as justice minister nominee.",
    "Allegations related to COVID-19 treatment and clinical trials.",
    "Step down after parliamentary committee adopted confirmation report."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Kim's withdrawal as justice minister nominee means the ruling party must now find a new candidate, potentially delaying the appointment and possibly affecting the government's legislative agenda.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yonhap News",
        "title": "(URGENT) Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won says to withdraw from consideration",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/19/urgent-justice-minister-nominee-kim-seung-won-says-to-withdraw-from",
        "published": "2026-09-19T02:02:47.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won withdraws candidacy",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/19/justice-minister-nominee-kim-seung-won-withdraws-candidacy",
        "published": "2026-09-19T02:52:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}