"National Wealth Leakage Was Expression Used by Mr. Yang; I Have Never Met Kim Seung-won"

[Anchor]

We met CEO Kang of the new drug development company Genencel, a key figure in the allegations surrounding Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won and his suspected lobbying of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, today (September 8). CEO Kang claimed that he merely asked for the review to be handled according to regulations through businessman Mr. Yang, and that he has never even met the nominee. He also stated that the phrase "national wealth leakage" used by the nominee toward the head of the Food and Drug Safety Ministry was an expression used by Mr. Yang.

This is an exclusive report by reporter Son Hyeong-an.

[Reporter]

SBS reporting teams met today with Kang, the CEO of COVID-19 treatment developer Genencel.

Kang claimed that back in 2021, he mentioned to an acquaintance, Mr. Yang, that approval for the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety's clinical trial plan was being delayed, after which he received a suggestion.

[Kang / CEO of Genencel: "He said, 'There is a lawmaker named Kim Seung-won, so I suppose we can talk about something like that.' I did nothing more than ask them to process it according to regulations on schedule."]

He maintained that he only contacted Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won a single time through Mr. Yang, and that he has never actually met him.

[Kang / CEO of Genencel: "(You have never met lawmaker Kim Seung-won at the time?) I have never met him, nor have I ever spoken to him on the phone directly."]

He stated that the remark made by nominee Kim to the then-head of the Food and Drug Safety Ministry expressing concern over "national wealth leakage" was the wording of the messenger, Mr. Yang.

[Kang / CEO of Genencel: "The phrase 'national wealth leakage' wasn't something I said. Since Representative Yang works in marketing, he used that kind of brilliant expression."]

Kang also raised his voice, asserting that calling the new drug developed by himself and Genencel executives and employees a "poison" was a misunderstanding and an insult.

[Kang / CEO of Genencel: "Why is it a poison? People in India already took it in clinical trials and saw results, and it's a safe substance that completed phase 1 clinical trials (in Korea). Why is it a poison? It is facing a severe misunderstanding."]

Kang claimed that his attempt to donate campaign funds to nominee Kim was due to a request from Mr. Yang and not as a reward for lobbying.

[Kang / CEO of Genencel: "Because he had a relationship and was close with lawmaker Kim Seung-won, he told me, 'I don't have money, so could you do it for me?' He sent an email asking, 'Please do it just this once for my sake,' and I agreed."]

Kang stated that he has not communicated with Mr. Yang since 2023, when prosecutorial investigations began in earnest, and that he has not received any contact from nominee Kim's side recently.

(Video by Lee Chan-su | Video Editing by Lee Seung-hee)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.