[Anchor]

While the confirmation hearing for nominee Kim Seung-won was underway, a court held a trial for key figures suspected of lobbying the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. Making her first public appearance under police protection, the broker surnamed Yang did not answer any of the questions fired at her.

Reporter An Huijae has the details.

[Reporter]

A woman wearing a mask heads toward the courtroom escorted by court officials.

She is the broker surnamed Yang, who is accused of attempting to bribe National Assembly member and then-acquaintance Kim Seung-won, now nominee for Minister of Justice, during the approval process for a new drug clinical trial in 2021.

Yang, who has been on trial without detention since December the year before last, had requested personal protection from the court as she came under heavy fire following the release of the so-called "oppa transcript" of conversations she shared with nominee Kim. However, she refrained from commenting to reporters.

[Yang : (What is your relationship with nominee (Kim)? Why did you call him "oppa"? Why did you request personal protection?) ......]

Among the four charges against Yang, the core allegation involves lobbying the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.

The prosecution claims that five years ago, during the process of gaining approval for a clinical trial plan for a COVID-19 treatment, she conspired with Genencel founder Kang Se-chan to lobby nominee Kim for favors such as a prompt review by the ministry, while promising a political donation of 5 million won.

The actual delivery of the money fell through because nominee Kim's donation limit had been reached. While Yang's side maintains that it was not an illicit solicitation, the prosecution argues that the crime is established because quid pro quo valuables were promised.

Kang Se-chan, who was indicted along with her, is also denying the charges.

[Kang Se-chan : (Was there any other way compensation was delivered without transferring the money?) ......]

The prosecutors sentencing recommendation and the defendants closing statements had originally been scheduled for today (the 15th), but the trial ended in just 10 minutes.

This is because the court decided to set an additional trial date, stating that it will review the ruling of the appeals trial for Kang's separately indicted case regarding the same suspicions, which is scheduled for the 30th.

The next trial is scheduled for November 12, meaning it will take more time to reach a conclusion in the first trial.

(Video by Lee Chan-su | Video Editing by Kim Jong-mi | Design by Cho Su-in)