Article body
Kim Seung-won, the nominee for Minister of Justice, expressed his apologies regarding the allegations surrounding him during an interview with reporters as he arrived at his office for the confirmation hearing preparation on the 11th in Jongno, Seoul. He stated, "I truly feel sorry for causing concern to the public as a politician." He added that he would provide detailed explanations during the confirmation hearing.
Regarding the allegations of soliciting approval for clinical trials, Kim explained the circumstances of hiring the son of Chief Judge Jeong In-jae as a legislative assistant, saying, "I conducted the interview publicly because I am proud of it." He clarified that the legislative assistant position helps with parliamentary work and that the hired son earned about 1 million won a month before enlisting in the military.
He pointed out that small companies are unable to proceed with procedures due to pressure from multinational corporations concerning clinical trial approvals, claiming that he conveyed complaints to resolve this issue. However, he did not answer questions regarding whether there was an official announcement for the hiring of the legislative assistant. Kim stated that if appointed as minister, he would work on prosecutorial reform and the establishment of a new criminal justice system. The National Assembly confirmation hearing is scheduled for the 15th.