Yang Su-jin, known as broker in new drug approval allegations against former justice minister nominee Kim Seung-won, appears as complainant

Han Dong-hoon filed defamation charges against on Oct. 8

Yang Su-jin, the broker suspected of lobbying former Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won over a COVID-19 new drug clinical trial approval, arrives at Seoul Western District Court in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on Sept. 15 for a hearing on bribery charges. [Yonhap]
Yang Su-jin, the broker suspected of lobbying former Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won over a COVID-19 new drug clinical trial approval, arrives at Seoul Western District Court in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on Sept. 15 for a hearing on bribery charges. [Yonhap]

Yang Su-jin, the broker at the center of allegations that former Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won sought to influence approval of a COVID-19 new drug clinical trial, appeared before police Thursday as a complainant. Yang had filed a defamation complaint and other charges against Assembly member Han Dong-hoon on Oct. 8.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Metropolitan Investigation Unit summoned Yang as a complainant and began questioning around 1:30 p.m. Thursday.

The probe stems from Yang's complaint that Han described the establishment Yang had operated not as a general restaurant but as a room salon or adult entertainment venue, and referred to Yang using terms such as "room salon younger sister."

On Oct. 8, Yang filed the complaint against Han through a legal representative at the Yeongdeungpo Police Station, alleging violations of defamation provisions under the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, the Communications Secrets Protection Act, and instigation of disclosure of official secrets. The Yeongdeungpo Police Station subsequently transferred the case to the metropolitan investigation unit.

During last month's confirmation hearing for Kim's nomination as justice minister, Han posted on social media recordings of phone calls between Yang and Kim, raising allegations that Yang had lobbied for approval of a new drug.

At the time, Yang's side submitted the complaint alleging that Han had repeatedly posted defamatory and false descriptions on a Facebook account from Sept. 3 to Sept. 16, referring to Yang as "room salon younger sister broker," "former Gangnam adult entertainment venue madam," "Cheongdam-dong rotation room salon yagippa," and "bar madam-turned broker Yang."

Yang's side also called for an investigation into how Han obtained private phone call recordings and text messages between Kim and Yang — which Han repeatedly posted — as well as a document that appeared to be an indictment plan from the Seoul Western District Prosecutors Office, now known as the Seoul Western District Public Prosecution Office.


kido@heraldcorp.com