What is Kim Seung-won accused of in the COVID-19 treatment lobbying case?

He is accused of asking the then food and drug safety minister to speed up clinical trial approval for a COVID-19 treatment in 2021 at a brokers request. Kim has denied any illegal request and says he did nothing wrong.

Why did police reopen the probe into Kim Seung-won?

Ko Beom-seok said the case could be reinvestigated after a civic group filed a criminal complaint last week. The matter was then assigned to Seoul’s Yeongdeungpo Police Station on Tuesday.

What happened in the earlier investigation into Kim Seung-won?

The earlier probe ended in 2024 with prosecutors withholding formal indictment. They decided they could not definitively conclude that his request amounted to illegal solicitation.

Police reopen probe into justice minister nominee's alleged illegal lobbying

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Summary

Police on Tuesday reopened an investigation into allegations that Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won illegally lobbied for a COVID-19 treatment in 2021. Kim, a two-term lawmaker tapped by President Lee Jae Myung late last month, has denied wrongdoing. The case had previously ended in 2024 without formal indictment. Police assigned the matter to Seoul’s Yeongdeungpo Police Station after a civic group filed a criminal complaint last week.

Key Facts

Kim Seung-won was tapped by President Lee Jae Myung late last month as justice minister nominee.
The allegations concern a 2021 request to the then food and drug safety minister to speed up clinical trial approval for a COVID-19 treatment.
An earlier investigation ended in 2024 after prosecutors withheld formal indictment because the request could not be definitively found to be illegal solicitation.
Ko Beom-seok, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, said the case could be reinvestigated based on a civic groups criminal complaint filed last week.
The case was assigned to Seoul’s Yeongdeungpo Police Station on Tuesday, and the station is expected to question the accusers after a legal review.

By Yonhap

Published Sep 8, 2026 10:16 am KST

Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won arrives at his confirmation hearing preparation office in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

Police on Tuesday reopened an investigation into allegations Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won illegally lobbied for a COVID-19 treatment in 2021, sources said.

Kim, a two-term lawmaker who was tapped by President Lee Jae Myung late last month, has faced mounting pressure following allegations that he asked the then food and drug safety minister to speed up the treatment's clinical trial approval at a broker's request.

An earlier investigation ended in 2024 with the prosecution withholding formal indictment after determining his request could not be definitively found as illegal solicitation.

Ko Beom-seok, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, however, told reporters the previous day that the case could be reinvestigated based on a criminal complaint filed by a civic group last week.

The case was assigned to Seoul's Yeongdeungpo Police Station on Tuesday, according to the sources. Following a legal review, the police station is expected to question the accusers.

The nominee has denied any wrongdoing, saying he made no illegal requests to the then minister.

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