Kim Seung-won withdraws from minister nomination as police weigh reopening probe

Police have obtained and begun analyzing the appeals court ruling in a case tied to allegations that Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Kim Seung-won lobbied the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on behalf of a pharmaceutical company.

Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Commissioner Ko Beom-seok told reporters at a regular briefing Tuesday morning at the agency's offices in Jongno-gu, Seoul, that five complaints had been filed against Kim and that an investigation was underway at the Seoul Yeongdeungpo Police Station. "We are reviewing the records," he said.

Police are currently examining prosecutors' records related to their earlier decision to suspend indictment against Kim, as well as the appeals court ruling handed down against the founder of Genencell, the pharmaceutical firm at the center of the case.

The Seoul High Court's Criminal Division 7 sentenced the founder, identified only by the surname Kang, to four years in prison and a fine of 40 million won ($29,400) on Wednesday for charges including breach of trust under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes. The court found Kang guilty of paying 600 million won to a broker surnamed Yang — who had relayed a lobbying request to Kim's side — and disguising the payment as a legitimate investment. The court said it was "clear that Kang had solicited Kim Seung-won to request that the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety expedite approval for a clinical trial."

Kim is alleged to have received a lobbying request from Genencell through Yang in 2021 and then improperly pressured Kim Gang-lip, who was then head of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, to fast-track the clinical trial approval process.

The allegations had previously been investigated by prosecutors, who issued a suspended indictment in December 2024. The controversy was reignited last month, however, when Kim was nominated as justice minister candidate. A suspended indictment is a form of non-prosecution in which charges are acknowledged but prosecution is withheld based on mitigating circumstances. Unlike a final court verdict, it does not bar authorities from reopening an investigation into the same matter.

"We need to look at the records before making a judgment," Commissioner Ko said. "If the substance of the investigation is the same, the conclusion will be the same — but if there are any changes, that assessment will also be reflected in the records." He added that the agency was providing legal review support given the high level of public interest in the matter.

Asked about the possibility of transferring the case to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Metropolitan Investigation Unit, Ko said such a transfer could happen "if the case exceeds what the district station can handle or if the number of people involved becomes large," but added that it was "not yet the stage to speak to that."