Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon released a call recording that he said showed broker Yang discussing Choi Jae-sung’s potential role in securing approval for Genencell’s COVID-19 treatment. In a September 1, 2021 call with Genencell founder Kang, Yang described Choi as close to senior officials and influential with the administration, while suggesting that political contacts could help move an approval request. Kang said the objective was to accelerate the process rather than make an impossible approval possible, and later discussed obtaining a 15 billion won government grant after approval. Choi, a former Democratic Party of Korea Policy Chief, has denied involvement in the alleged solicitation. The new allegations add to earlier court findings and call records portraying Yang and Kang as having aligned financial interests. In 2024, the Seoul Western District Court sentenced Kang to three years in prison, suspended for five years, for violating the Capital Markets Act. The court found that Genencell obtained outside investment with Yang’s assistance and planned to invest the funds in his company.