Controversy Eight Verification Issues Surrounding Kim Seung-won

Verification issues regarding past conduct and legal compliance are mounting around Kim Seung-won, the nominee for Justice Minister, including allegations of solicitation for COVID-19 therapeutic drug clinical trial approval, prosecution deferred disposition, accounting irregularities at the Democratic Party's Gyeonggi Province branch, a history of drunk driving, and pursuit of nolle prosequi in the case of President Lee Jae-myung.

1. COVID-19 Therapeutic Drug Clinical Trial Solicitation and Prosecution Deferred Disposition

In October 2021, when Kim was a first-term Democratic Party legislator, he received a request from an acquaintance, Mr. Yang, to help expedite approval of a clinical trial plan for a COVID-19 therapeutic drug developed by Genencel.

On October 12 of that month, Kim called Kim Kang-lip, then Commissioner of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and subsequently sent text messages requesting that the staff in charge expedite the process. Kim's response was conveyed to Mr. Yang. On October 26 of that month, the MFDS approved the clinical trial plan.

According to prosecution investigation materials, Kim told Mr. Yang that if things went well, he could provide personal campaign contributions up to the maximum limit. Kang, the founder of Genencel, attempted to donate 5 million won, but the donation was not actually made as Kim's contribution limit was already reached.

In December 2024, the prosecution rendered Kim prosecution deferred disposition. Prosecution deferred disposition is a non-prosecution measure and does not constitute a guilty verdict by a court. Kim claimed that he merely conveyed a public petition and no special treatment was given in the approval process. He also filed a constitutional petition challenging the prosecution deferred disposition as inappropriate.

2. Suspicions of Acquaintance with Judge Overseeing Drug Case Warrant

A photograph showing Judge Jung of the Seoul Western District Court, who dismissed the first arrest warrant for Kang, a related party in the drug case, together with Kim and broker Yang, was made public.

The opposition party claims that Kim introduced Judge Jung to Yang as a close junior and that the three had drinks together. Reports also surfaced that the prosecution requested that Judge Jung be recused from the warrant review due to his acquaintance with Kim, but the request was not accepted. After Judge Jung dismissed the first warrant, a second warrant reviewed by another judge was issued.

Kim countered that although the prosecution investigated the related matters for three years, no unauthorized solicitation or provision of convenience was confirmed. It remains unclear whether Kim's acquaintance with Judge Jung influenced the warrant decision.

3. Suspicions of Accounting Irregularities and Slush Funds at Democratic Party's Gyeonggi Province Branch

Allegations have been raised that the Democratic Party's Gyeonggi Province branch, where Kim served as chair, reported political fund disbursement details differently from their actual use, and received back a portion of staff salaries, which were operated through unreported accounts.

The Gyeonggi Province branch allegedly received approximately 45 million won that was additionally paid to four staff members under the guise of salary in 2025 and used it as operational promotion expenses in unreported accounts without notifying the National Election Commission.

Cases were also confirmed where the Gyeonggi Province branch reported the cost of Korean cookie sets purchased from a candy shop in Suwon as discussion meeting expenses. The Korean cookie set purchases occurred six times, with four of them costing 690,000 won each. It remains unclear to whom the Korean cookie sets were provided.

The Gyeonggi Province branch explained that the funds were used for operational promotion expenses and supporting documentation was retained, and there were no issues in the central party audit. Kim also stated that it was a matter concluded as having no problems in the central party audit.

The National Election Commission stated that if money reported as salary was used for other purposes, it could be illegal, and the Gyeonggi Province Election Commission began a factual investigation following reporting by News Tapa.

4. Drunk Driving Fine Following Judicial Retirement

Kim worked as a judge at the Suwon District Court and retired in February 2008. Approximately five months after retirement, in July of that year, he was sentenced to a fine of 700,000 won at the Suwon District Court on charges of drunk driving.

As this did not fall under the Democratic Party's nomination exclusion criteria for the 21st and 22nd general elections, he received nominations in the 2020 and 2024 general elections. The Public Officials Election Act sets the standard for disclosing certain criminal records at fines of 1 million won or more, so his prior criminal record was shown as nonexistent in the election publicity materials for both general elections.

Criticism of double standards emerged when it became known that Kim received information on disciplinary status of lawyers with drunk driving histories from the Korean Bar Association in 2022 and emphasized the importance of establishing lawyer ethics.

5. History of Pursuing Nolle Prosequi in President Lee Jae-myung Case

In January 2026, Kim held a press conference with Democratic Party legislators from Gyeonggi Province and argued that the prosecution should be withdrawn in President Lee Jae-myung's case.

He also served as co-chair of the "Members' Meeting for Pursuing Nolle Prosequi and National Investigation into President Lee Jae-myung's Case," which was launched in February of that year.

In a March broadcast, he made remarks to the effect that the Justice Minister should direct the withdrawal of prosecution in the case of remittance to North Korea.

The opposition party claims that Kim's nomination as Justice Minister nominee is a personnel decision made with the nolle prosequi of this president's trial in mind.

However, after being nominated as Justice Minister nominee, Kim stated that the decision to maintain prosecution in individual cases is the authority of the investigating prosecutor and that he has no intention of exercising the minister's directive authority.

6. 'GSGG' Expression Aimed at Speaker of the National Assembly Park Byeong-seog

On August 31, 2021, when the processing of a revision to the Media Arbitration Act was delayed, Kim posted on Facebook: "Thank you so much, Park Byeong-seog. It will remain in history. GSGG."

When criticism arose questioning whether the profanity was expressed in English initials, Kim edited the post and explained that 'GSGG' was an abbreviation of an English sentence meaning that leaders should serve the general will of the people.

On the same day, Kim visited former Speaker Park and apologized. Former Speaker Park reportedly expressed disappointment and reproached him.

7. Controversy over Fairness in Democratic Party Gyeonggi Province Branch Nominations

While Kim served as chair of the Democratic Party's Gyeonggi Province branch during the recent local elections, allegations of so-called "daughter-in-law nominations" and responsibility for nominating candidates known for "inflammatory remarks" were repeatedly raised.

The Democratic Party's Gyeonggi Province branch conducted a three-person primary in the youth sector and assigned candidate Seo In-ha as proportional representative No. 1 for Gyeonggi Province council. Subsequently, online discussions arose questioning whether political connections influenced the nomination based on Seo's family relations and work experience in a National Assembly member's office.

In Kim's constituency of Suwon Gap (Jangan-gu area of Suwon), claims emerged that a candidate who made derogatory and sexual remarks was nominated, with calls for the party to withdraw the nomination, conduct an investigation, and for Kim, then chair of the Gyeonggi Province branch, to apologize.

The legislator argued that the problematic remarks violated the Democratic Party's ethical standards and candidate evaluation regulations, urging Kim, then chair of the Gyeonggi Province branch, to apologize and convene the steering committee.

8. Vehicle Seizure Due to Overdue Parking Violation Fine

Three seizures due to overdue parking violation fines were registered on Kim's Carnival vehicle on July 31, 2025. The seizure referral agency is the Jangan-gu Office of Suwon City.

It is known that the vehicle seizure was noted as unresolved in the personnel hearing request submitted to the National Assembly.

The opposition party criticized that the Justice Minister nominee, who will oversee law enforcement, has problems with legal compliance.