Justice Minister nominee Rep. Kim Seung-won faces scrutiny over his ties to Genencell and Judge Jeong. Kim is accused of passing a request to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in October 2021 to approve clinical trials for Genencell’s COVID-19 treatment, an approval later alleged to have been used in stock-price manipulation investigated by the Financial Supervisory Service. Separately, records confirmed that Kim represented a plaintiff in a 2013 lawsuit before a Seoul High Court division presided over by Jeong, despite Kim’s repeated claim that he had never handled a case in Jeong’s court. Jeong later dismissed a 2023 bench warrant sought against Genencell founder Kang. Kim denies discussing specific cases with Jeong and rejects any connection between the warrant decision and his son’s employment in Kim’s legislative office.