Han Dong-hoon rebuts claims of 'targeted probe' into Kim Seung-won: 'Why would anyone investigate a nobody?'

Independent Rep. Han Dong-hoon on Friday directly rebuffed claims by the ruling camp that the probe into alleged lobbying over the approval of a new drug clinical trial (a test of a drug's efficacy in humans) involving Health Minister nominee Kim Seung-won, conducted while Han was justice minister, was a targeted investigation aimed at a specific person, asking, "Who would bother targeting a nobody?" The remarks came two days before Kim's National Assembly confirmation hearing.

Han also pushed back on claims that he had sought to tie the probe to President Lee Jae-myung. Responding to assertions by Rep. Seo Young-kyo, chair of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, and ruling party floor whip Rep. Kim Ui-gyeom that "evidence shows Han's prosecution sought to implicate President Lee from the early stages of the investigation," Han said he was hearing it "for the first time." He added, "It appears President Lee may have been involved in the 'sister's poison-lobbying' scandal. If anyone knows about it, please report it to me as a public-interest whistleblower. I will protect you so that you two don't end up in an oil drum." He declined to reveal the source of the recording, saying, "I didn't receive it from the prosecution. But even if it came from the prosecution, that would be no problem—it is clearly worth protecting."

Han also criticized the police. Democratic Party Rep. Kim Dong-ah filed a complaint against Han on charges of leaking investigative records related to the nominee, and police questioned the complainant on Sunday. Han said, "The police let the Jeju disappearance case sit for months until the victim was found dead, yet the moment the Democrats submit a baseless complaint, they question the complainant on a Sunday." He added, "When I filed a defamation suit against Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok over false claims, the police don't even ask me to come in."

Han said, "Right now it's me versus 200 people, so I have to fight at least 200 times harder than usual. Those 200 include 180 Democratic lawmakers and about 10 members of Jang Dong-hyuk's party establishment." He went on, "If Jang Dong-hyuk's faction won't fight alongside us, they should help the Democratic Party and stop interfering with me—just stick on their crown and beat the drums."