Police Assign Complaint Alleging Kim Seung-won Solicited COVID-19 Drug Approval to Yeongdeungpo Station

[Financial News] The Seoul Yeongdeungpo Police Station will investigate a complaint related to allegations that Kim Seung-won solicited approval for a clinical trial of a COVID-19 treatment.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said in a media notice on the 8th, "The complaint filed against Kim was assigned to the Seoul Yeongdeungpo Police Station at 9:10 a.m. that day."
On the 4th, the civic group Seomin Min-saeng Measures Committee filed a complaint against Kim on allegations including violations of the Political Funds Act, abuse of authority and the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act. On the same day, former Seoul Metropolitan Government councilor Lee Jong-bae also submitted a complaint against Kim alleging abuse of authority and violations of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act.
Kim became the subject of an investigation over allegations that, in 2021, he received a request from COVID-19 treatment developer GENENCELL through a broker and then asked the head of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to approve the treatment’s clinical trial.
He was later given a deferred prosecution decision by prosecutors in 2024, but he has filed a constitutional complaint challenging the decision.
Regarding the allegations, Kim said, "I called the head of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to ask that the delayed procedure be handled promptly and fairly, without interference," adding, "I never made an improper solicitation to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, nor did it result in an unfair review by the ministry."
He further explained, "The prosecution acknowledged in its investigation findings that there had been no improper solicitation or distortion of a fair review, and all of the relevant former heads of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and public officials were cleared of suspicion."
Based on the complaint it received, police plan to conduct a legal review and question the complainants. Analysts say that because deferred prosecution is not a final court ruling, it does not prevent a reinvestigation, allowing investigative agencies such as the police to reopen the case.
At his first regular press briefing since taking office the previous day, Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Commissioner Ko Beom-seok was asked about the possibility of a reinvestigation. He said, "After the case is assigned, we will conduct the investigation in accordance with the law and procedures," adding, "The assigned station will conduct a legal review, but the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency will review the matter again at its own level."
[email protected] Park Seong-hyun Reporter