South Korea justice minister nominee withdraws over Covid-19 drug trial scandal

South Korea’s Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won withdrew his nomination on Saturday following allegations concerning his involvement in a Covid-19 treatment and approval of its clinical trials.“After much deliberation, I decided to step down as the nominee for minister of the justice ministry. I apologise for failing to live up to your expectations,” Kim said during a press conference at the National Assembly.Kim, who said he did not want to add any burden to Lee Jae Myung’s administration, criticised a conservative lawmaker who had accused him of lobbying regulators over a drug trial and of financial irregularities. Kim ⁠has denied the allegations.“I gravely accept that I did not ‌meet the public’s expectations, and I will deeply reflect on my shortcomings,” ‌Kim said.South Korean Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won attends his confirmation hearing at the National Assembly in Seoul on Tuesday. Photo: ReutersThe two-term lawmaker of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) served as a judge at the Jeonju District Court and the Suwon District Court before joining the presidential office under the liberal Moon Jae-in administration, where he worked in the office of political affairs.He was elected to the 21st National Assembly in 2020 and later served as DPK’s legal affairs committee chief.On Friday, Lee admitted to failures in the cabinet candidate vetting process.“We did our best, but unexpected issues continued to surface … Failing to prepare for those aspects was our fault,” Lee said during a press conference at Cheong Wa Dae, adding that “we are currently working to re-examine our personnel system”.Lee faces declining approval ratings amid resistance to his proposed policies and contentious reform efforts, as well as concerns over his cabinet nominees.South Korean President Lee Jae Myung bows during a press conference at the Blue House in Seoul on Friday. Photo: EPAA Gallup Korea poll released on Friday put Lee’s public approval at 37 per cent, the lowest since he took office in June 2025, a decline pollsters have partly linked to criticism over his personnel appointments.Addressing Kim’s nominee issue, Lee said: “While we believed we had made the best possible selection, various controversies have emerged during the public confirmation process.”The scandal surrounding Kim unfolded against the backdrop of an unusually high attrition rate among Lee’s cabinet nominees.The most recent casualty was Yong Hye-in, who stepped down as gender equality minister nominee on Sunday amid public criticism over her decision to retain her parliamentary seat alongside the cabinet post, prompting opposition parties to renew their attacks on Lee’s vetting process.Kim’s and Yong’s exits bring to five the number of ministerial nominees who have failed to be appointed since Lee took office last year, following education minister nominee Lee Jin-sook and gender equality minister nominee Kang Sun-woo in June 2025, and planning and budget minister nominee Lee Hye-hoon in December 2025.The rate compares unfavourably with past administrations over equivalent periods: Moon had three failed nominations over a similar time frame, while Yoon Suk-yeol, Park Geun-hye and Lee Myung-bak each had two – a record critics attribute to a shallow talent pool within the ruling camp.This article is a combination of articles published by The Korea Times. Additional reporting by ReutersFurther Reading