[Anchor]
Kim Seung-won, nominee for Minister of Justice, previously explained that he had not met with businessman Yang, known as a broker in the alleged Ministry of Food and Drug Safety lobbying controversy, since February 2022. However, with the release of a photo showing the two together in 2023, the nominee's explanation has effectively been invalidated.
Reporting by Shin Yong-il.
[Reporter]
A photo has been released showing three people together: Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won, businessman Yang, and Judge Jung.
Taken in February 2022, the photo features Judge Jung, who later handled warrant-exclusive duties at the jurisdiction court when Yang was investigated by prosecutors in 2024.
In response, nominee Kim's camp officially stated today (September 4), "We only happened to cross paths with Yang and others at a private gathering around February 2022, and have neither met nor contacted them since."
However, a photo contradicting this has surfaced.
The photo shows Yang and nominee Kim posing together in front of a business operated by Yang at the event for the 43rd Suwon City Day of Persons with Disabilities commemoration ceremony.
The photo was taken in late April 2023, a circumstance that runs counter to the claim by nominee Kim's camp that there had been no meetings since February 2022.
In response, nominee Kim's camp explained that they meant they had never personally contacted or met them, and that he had attended the local government-hosted event as a district lawmaker.
Today, nominee Kim did not appear at the office in Jongno-gu, Seoul, where his confirmation hearing preparation team is set up.
Amid a continuing stream of suspicions, he stated his position solely through a lengthy press release. Regarding the fact that he was fined for drunk driving in July 2008 during his days as a lawyer, he apologized, saying, "I deeply reflect on it."
On the other hand, regarding the alleged Ministry of Food and Drug Safety lobbying suspicion, he denied it once again, following yesterday, stating that it was "merely conveying a grievance petition expressing concerns that clinical trial procedures were being unfairly delayed" and that it served a public interest purpose.
(Video Editing: Lee Seung-jin, Design: Lee Ga-jin, Sooin)
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