[2022 National Audit] Baek Kyung-ran's 'Bio Stock' Conflict of Interest Dispute... Kang Hoon-sik Demands Submission of Transaction Records from Advisory Group Period

Baek Gyeong-ran, Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, is greeting members of the National Assembly at the National Assembly inspection of the Ministry of Health and Welfare held on the 5th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-won] A dispute arose during the National Assembly audit over the submission of stock transaction records by Baek Kyung-ran, Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), who had been embroiled in controversy for holding bio stocks.

At the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee audit on the 5th, Kang Hoon-sik, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, demanded the submission of stock transaction records from the period when Commissioner Baek served as a private advisory member related to COVID-19, which she had not submitted.

Rep. Kang explained the basis for his request, saying, "These are records from when she worked as an advisory member and had access to information," and "We want to verify the transaction records to see how they actually influenced government policies."

In response, Commissioner Baek said, "These are not records from when I was a public official," and added, "I have never used internal information for personal gain."

When the audit resumed in the afternoon and Commissioner Baek still did not submit the records, Rep. Kang urged her again to provide the documents. Jung Chun-sook, chair of the Health and Welfare Committee, stated, "Submitting documents is fundamental to the National Assembly audit," and added, "It is up to the committee members to judge whether there is a connection to her duties."

Commissioner Baek emphasized that she never used any data obtained during her committee tenure for personal gain but said, "I will discuss (the submission of the documents)."

Earlier, in August, it was revealed through the disclosure of high-ranking officials' assets that Commissioner Baek held bio stocks including 30 shares of SK Bioscience, 25 shares of SK Biopharm, and 3,332 shares of Syntekabio, sparking a conflict of interest controversy. Following criticism from the National Assembly and others, Commissioner Baek announced on August 31 that she had sold the bio stocks she held.

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