[Photo=The Democratic Party of Korea]

A complaint has been filed against the current president and high-ranking officials in connection with the Board of Audit and Inspection's findings that the government systematically neglected issues despite the discovery of foreign substances such as mold and hair in COVID-19 vaccines.

The civic group, the Committee for the Protection of the People's Livelihoods (Chairman Kim Soon-hwan), announced on the 25th that it had filed a complaint with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency against President Lee Jae-myung and Kim Hyun-ji, First Secretary for Presidential Affairs, for abuse of power and dereliction of duty.

"14.2 million Doses Administered Despite Discovery of Foreign Substances"

In its complaint, the committee cited the results of the 'Diagnosis and Analysis of COVID-19 Response Status' released by the Board of Audit and Inspection in February. According to the audit results, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) received a total of approximately 1,280 reports of foreign substances in vaccines from medical institutions between March 2021 and October 2024.

The reported contents included not only rubber stopper fragments (835 cases) but also 127 cases involving substances with high potential for harm, such as mold, hair, and silicon dioxide.

However, the KDCA failed to follow the notification procedures to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, as stipulated in its manual, in even a single instance. It was revealed that approximately 14.2 million doses from the same manufacturing batch as the vaccines containing foreign substances were distributed and administered to the public.

"Government's Irresponsibility Undermines Trust in Rule of Law"

The committee stated, "The government forced mental and material damage upon countless citizens suffering from unexplained after-effects following vaccination," and criticized, "More than a month after the audit results were released, no minimal legal action or disciplinary measures have been taken against those involved, including former President Moon Jae-in and former KDCA Commissioner Jeong Eun-kyeong (currently Minister of Health and Welfare)."

The committee further explained the purpose of the complaint: "The deficiencies in the overall quarantine response and the failure to take follow-up measures constitute an abuse of power and dereliction of duty, going beyond mere administrative errors. By evading responsibility, the state, which should protect citizens' right to life, is shaking the trust in liberal democracy and the rule of law."

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, which received the complaint, is expected to launch a full-scale investigation starting with an inquiry of the complainant soon. The investigation will primarily focus on two key aspects.

First, it needs to be determined whether the KDCA's omission of notification to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety was a simple administrative error or an intentional neglect due to concerns about disruptions in quarantine policy. Second, it is about the extent to which judicial authorities will recognize a direct correlation between the administration of vaccines containing foreign substances and the resulting adverse effects.

As both the current president and key figures from the previous administration are simultaneously under investigation, this complaint case is expected to cause significant repercussions in the political landscape.

Reporter Im Yo-hee