Kim Seung-won's 'new drug approval' allegations spark all-out war between ruling party and Han Dong-hoon

Kim: "Case could not have happened without a collaborator inside prosecutors"

Han: "Never received anything close to such documents from prosecutors," countersues

Kim Dong-a: "Indictment plan is internal data that never leaves prosecutors"

Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon smiles as Democratic Party of Korea leader Kim Min-seok mentions prosecutorial reform and revisions to the Criminal Procedure Act during his speech at the third plenary session of the 439th regular session of the National Assembly, on Monday. (Yonhap)
Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon smiles as Democratic Party of Korea leader Kim Min-seok mentions prosecutorial reform and revisions to the Criminal Procedure Act during his speech at the third plenary session of the 439th regular session of the National Assembly, on Monday. (Yonhap)

The dispute over allegations that Ministry of Justice minister candidate Kim Seung-won sought approval for a new drug clinical trial is escalating into an all-out confrontation between the Democratic Party of Korea and independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon.

Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok raised suspicions of an internal collaborator among prosecutors over the "indictment plan" document Han disclosed, and said the party would take legal action against those involved. Han countered that he had never received any documents from prosecutors and vowed to take criminal action against Kim for spreading false information.

Kim made the remarks at a Supreme Council meeting held at the North Jeolla Provincial Government office in Jeonju, saying, "We need to thoroughly verify the facts related to this issue and move to take legal action against anyone found to have leaked information." He instructed the party, "Separately from wrapping up candidate Kim Seung-won's confirmation hearing, please prepare to track the Han Dong-hoon case carefully and ensure it is dealt with under the law, even after the hearing ends."

He said, "The various claims Han is currently raising could not have happened without a collaborator inside prosecutors," adding, "I think resolving the Han Dong-hoon case will bring about the final chapter of Korea's political prosecutorial reform."

Han rebuffed the claims immediately. On his Facebook page Tuesday, he wrote, "I have never received anything even close to documents from prosecutors, so I will hold Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok strictly accountable for his baseless lies," and added, "I will take criminal action against Kim for spreading false information." He continued, "The same goes for anyone like Kim Min-seok who spreads baseless claims going forward," and said, "Trying to muddy the waters will not erase the facts of the Democratic Party oppa's poison lobbying."

The Democratic Party is questioning the source of the documents Han disclosed. National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee member Kim Dong-a of the Democratic Party said on MBC Radio that the "indictment plan" Han released was "material that never goes outside prosecutors' internal investigation team." Kim filed a complaint against Han with the Korean National Police Agency's National Investigation Headquarters, saying the disclosure could constitute a breach of official secrecy.

The clash was triggered by Han's successive disclosures of documents related to allegations that Kim sought approval for a clinical trial of a COVID-19 treatment. Han has raised suspicions that Kim influenced the clinical trial approval process by calling then-Ministry of Food and Drug Safety Commissioner Kim Kang-lip in 2021 regarding a complaint from Jenensel, which was developing a COVID-19 treatment at the time. Kim's camp has denied the allegations entirely, saying the call to the former commissioner was a routine relay of a complaint about delays in the clinical trial review.


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