From Bar Operator to Entrepreneur: Who Is Yang, Kim Seung-won's "Junior"?

[Anchor]

At the center of the "Ministry of Food and Drug Safety solicitation allegations" is an individual identified as Yang. Described by Ministerial Nominee Kim Seung-won as a "close junior" and a "successful entrepreneur," Yang previously operated a nightlife establishment before transforming into a businessman. Meanwhile, Genencel CEO Kang described Yang as a friend who "liked to flaunt his personal connections."

Reporter Kim Jin-u has the details.

[Reporter]

A building in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

Yang, a key figure in the "new drug solicitation allegations" whom Justice Ministerial Nominee Kim Seung-won described as a "close junior and successful entrepreneur," once ran a nightlife establishment here.

[Valet Parking Employee: I know the place had an old name like 'OO Bar.' Parking tickets and things like that...]br>
Yang received a finalized sentence with suspended execution in 2013 for failing to pay severance dues to entertainment hosts and hostesses.

The following year, he transformed into the CEO of cosmetics and pharmaceutical company K, and even launched women's health products.

When reporters visited Company K's office, the doors were tightly locked.

A delivery package addressed to Yang, which arrived in August of last year, remains left untouched.

[Building Manager: I understand it's been quite a while since anyone showed up. Seems like quite some time.]br>
People working in neighboring businesses remember Company K as having "around 10 employees," and it was confirmed that Company K went bankrupt in 2023.

Earlier, in 2021, Yang repeatedly relayed requests to Nominee Kim Seung-won from Genencel CEO Kang to expedite the approval of clinical trial plans for a new drug.

However, CEO Kang stated today (the 8th), regarding Yang, that "he used to flaunt his personal connections."

[Kang / Genencel CEO: He's just a friend who boasts about connections without thinking much. When doing sales and marketing, you know, they say things like 'Oh, I'm close with this person.']br>
In other words, he "bragged about his network."

[Kang / Genencel CEO: During a conversation with a third party, the recording—everything seems to have been automatically recorded. He might brag about his connections, and once he starts rattling on, you can't just hang up on him.]br>
Meanwhile, Nominee Kim's side released a transcript today of a phone conversation between Yang and CEO Kang that took place on October 12, 2021.

The transcript contains Yang stating, "I just spoke with lawmaker Kim Seung-won," and mentioning that instructions were given through the BH—meaning the Blue House—to submit a report to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.

Nominee Kim's side also released a transcript from four minutes prior, aiming to show that when Yang actually spoke with Nominee Kim four minutes before that call, no mention of the Blue House was made. Their argument is that Yang exaggerated things that never happened.

(Video Journalist: Lee Byung-joo, Lee Chan-soo, Choi Dae-woong | Video Editing: Yoon Tae-ho | Design: Jang Seong-beom)

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※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.