[Anchor]
We met CEO Kang of Genencel, a new drug development company and the central figure in the alleged "Ministry of Food and Drug Safety lobbying" involving Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won, today (September 8). Kang claimed that he only asked for a review in accordance with regulations through businessman Mr. Yang, and that he has never even met nominee Kim. He also stated that the remark about "capital leakage" mentioned by nominee Kim to the Minister of Food and Drug Safety was an expression used by Mr. Yang.
This is an exclusive report by reporter Son Hyeong-an.
[Reporter]
SBS reporters met today with Kang, the CEO of COVID-19 therapeutic developer Genencel.
Kang claimed that back in 2021, when he mentioned to an acquaintance, Mr. Yang, that approval for the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety's clinical trial plan was being delayed, he received this proposal.
[Kang / CEO of Genencel: He said, "There is a lawmaker named Kim Seung-won, and I think we can at least talk about it." All I said was to please handle it according to the schedule and regulations.]
He claims that he contacted Justice Minister nominee Kim only once through Mr. Yang, and that he has never actually met him.
[Kang / CEO of Genencel: ((At the time) You've never met lawmaker Kim Seung-won?) I've never met him, nor have I ever talked to him on the phone.]
He stated that nominee Kim's remark to the then-Minister of Food and Drug Safety that he was "worried about a leak of national wealth" was actually an expression used by the intermediary, Mr. Yang.
[Kang / CEO of Genencel: I didn't use the term capital leakage. Since Representative Yang works in marketing, he used that kind of impressive expression.]
Kang also raised his voice, calling it a misunderstanding and an insult that the new drug developed by himself and Genencel executives and employees was being referred to as poison.
[Kang / CEO of Genencel: Why is it poison? People already took it in clinical trials in India and it showed effects, and it's a safe thing that finished Phase 1 clinical trials (in Korea). Why is it poison? It's being heavily misunderstood.]
Kang claimed that his attempt to donate to nominee Kim was due to a request from Mr. Yang, not as a reward for lobbying.
[Kang / CEO of Genencel: He said he had a close relationship with lawmaker Kim Seung-won and asked, since he didn't have money, if I could do it for him. He sent an email asking, "Please do it just this once for my sake," so I said okay.]
Kang stated that he has not communicated with Mr. Yang since 2023 when the prosecution's investigation began in earnest, and that he has received no contact from nominee Kim's side recently.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
Reported by Lee Chan-su | Video by Lee Seung-hee
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