The complaint filed against Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won over the so-called "COVID-19 new drug solicitation allegation" has been assigned to the Seoul Yeongdeungpo Police Station for investigation.

The Yeongdeungpo Police Station received the case involving the nominee this morning (the 8th) and has begun reviewing legal aspects based on the written complaint.

Earlier, Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Chief Koh Bum-seok stated during a press conference yesterday that the police were reviewing whether they could reinvestigate nominee Kim's alleged new drug solicitation, a case in which prosecutors already issued a suspension of indictment back in December 2024.

Given that the case was assigned to an investigative team without being dismissed or otherwise disposed of, the police appear to have concluded that an investigation is feasible.

Once the Yeongdeungpo police finish reviewing the complaint and relevant legal principles, they plan to summon and question the complainants, including Kim Sun-hwan, secretary-general of the Citizens' Livelihood Countermeasures Committee, and Lee Jong-bae, a former member of the Seoul Metropolitan Council.

The new drug solicitation allegation centers on claims that in 2021, nominee Kim received a request from Kang, the CEO of COVID-19 treatment manufacturer Genensel, through a broker named Yang, and subsequently asked then-Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) Chief Kim Gang-lip to approve Genensel's clinical trials.

The complainants argue that nominee Kim's request to former MFDS Chief Kim to "take good care of" Genensel's clinical trial approval constitutes an abuse of power.

Addressing the allegation, nominee Kim explained, "I called the MFDS chief to ask that the process be handled fairly without obstruction and that delayed procedures be expedited." He added, "I never made an illicit solicitation to the MFDS, nor was the MFDS's review conducted unfairly as a result."

He also stated, "Prosecutors acknowledged through their investigative findings that there was no illicit solicitation or distortion of fair review, and the MFDS chief and public officials involved all received cleared of charges."

(Photo: Yonhap News)