Kim Seungwon's Office Refutes 'Additional Allegations' Petition Report: "No Contact from Presidential Office"

Statement Released: "Unaware Whether It Was Submitted"

Investigating the Circumstances... Urging Cessation of Social Media Circulation

The office of Assemblyman Kim Seungwon of the Democratic Party of Korea refuted media reports on the 19th that claimed former aides had submitted a petition containing additional allegations to the presidential office, stating, "Some of the details are either exaggerated or not true."

Kim Seungwon, the nominee for Minister of Justice, is leaving the National Assembly communication office after a resignation press conference on the 19th. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

In a statement released that day, Kim's office said, "We have not been contacted by the presidential office regarding the contents of the petition, nor are we aware of whether it was actually submitted."

Earlier, a media outlet reported that, following Assemblyman Kim’s resignation press conference for the Minister of Justice nomination, his former aides had delivered a petition to the presidential office calling for the withdrawal of his nomination. According to the report, the petition reportedly included past allegations of sexual harassment involving Assemblyman Kim and how his staff sought to cover up the matter, additional allegations of drunk driving, claims of habitual verbal abuse of staff after drinking, and separate lobbying-related allegations beyond those previously referred to as the "new drug lobbying scandal."

Kim's office stated, "An aide who worked at the time has clarified that some of the rumors raised regarding the reasons for the nominee's resignation are not true," adding, "We will verify and review the facts of both the reporting process and its contents and will take appropriate measures as necessary."

The office also addressed images of Assemblyman Kim spreading online. "Currently, there are malicious artificial intelligence (AI) generated images and false or manipulated information pertaining to Assemblyman Kim being circulated online," they said, noting that they are working to trace the channels of dissemination.

The office emphasized, "We will pursue strong legal action by tracking down the original creators and those distributing these materials to the end," and further urged, "Please refrain from posting, sharing, or recirculating false or manipulated information and AI-generated content."

On this day, nominee Kim voluntarily stepped down from his candidacy. At his press conference, he stated, "After long deliberation, I have decided to step down as the nominee for Minister of Justice," adding, "I solemnly acknowledge that I fell short of public expectations and will deeply reflect on my shortcomings." Nonetheless, he characterized the prosecution’s investigation into him as a "targeted investigation" and pledged to reveal the full extent of related incidents, including allegations that Han Donghoon, an independent member of the National Assembly, had illegally leaked confidential information about the investigation.

Kim, a former co-chair of the Democratic Party’s group advocating for the cancellation of indictments, was labeled from the outset by conservative opposition parties as being appointed with the aim of dropping the prosecution of a case involving the President, which made him the most likely candidate to fail confirmation. Subsequently, allegations of lobbying for clinical trial approval for a new drug and controversies involving his family led to opposition even within the progressive bloc. The President had expressed a cautious stance on the nomination issue the previous day, and ultimately, on this day, Kim’s nomination was withdrawn.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.