People Power Party Lawmakers Demand Ministry of Food and Drug Safety Release Documents on Kim Seung-won Allegations

Eight lawmakers from the People Power Party visited the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, on the afternoon of the 21st, demanding the release of documents related to allegations that former Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-wun solicited approval for Celltrion's COVID-19 treatment clinical trials (human trials testing drug efficacy). The visiting lawmakers included National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee Chairman Lee Man-hee, PPP committee secretary Baek Jong-heon, and lawmakers Han Ji-a, Jo Bae-suk, and Choi Bo-yoon. Holding signs reading 'We denounce the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for refusing to submit documents and bypassing the National Assembly,' they entered the ministry, moved to a large conference room, and met with Minister Oh Yu-kyoung and other officials.

Lawmaker Jo Bae-suk emphasized that it was unusual for a large group of lawmakers to visit the ministry, saying the condition of the 93 South Korean patients dosed in the Phase 2 clinical trial in 2022 must be checked and verified, and that the ministry must take responsibility if even one of them had experienced adverse effects. Lawmaker Choi Bo-yoon demanded an explanation of whether the contents of Kim's solicitation were conveyed to the approval reviewers during the ministry's approval process, and why no additional requests for supplementary materials were made after the initial request for supplements.

In response, Minister Oh Yu-kyoung expressed regret that the ministry's cooperation on documents had fallen short of the legislators' parliamentary activities, and said she would carefully take in the day's opinions and cooperate as faithfully as possible. The ministry maintains that no suspected serious and unexpected adverse drug reactions have been reported since the clinical trial of the treatment.