Kolon Group Honorary Chairman Lee Woong-yeol Trial and Deception

Kolon Group Honorary Chairman Lee Woong-yeol has been acquitted in the first trial on charges related to the manufacturing and selling of the osteoarthritis treatment “Invossa K.” The Seoul Central District Court found that the evidence presented by the prosecution was not sufficient to prove the crimes he was charged with. This decision comes after a long trial process, with more than 150,000 trial and evidence records and 450 judgments involved.

The “Invossa Incident” began when it was discovered that the product, which had received approval as the first gene therapy in Korea, did not contain the expected ingredients. Despite this, the court ruled that the product had obtained approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and that there was no evidence of a crime in the manufacturing and selling of Invossa.

The court also highlighted the differences between Korea and the United States in handling similar cases, noting that the U.S. FDA had approved clinical trials for Invossa after concerns were resolved, while legal battles and criminal trials in Korea have extended over several years. The court emphasized the need to consider how judicial control should proceed in the scientific field.

Following the court’s decision, Kolon Group resumed clinical trials for Invossa in April 2020, meeting the FDA’s requirements. The FDA lifted the suspension of clinical trials less than a year after issuing it, citing no safety or efficacy issues with Invossa.

The outcome of this trial is expected to impact civil lawsuits related to the case. While the prosecution is considering appealing the court’s decision, lawyers for the victims’ agents are seeking to prove negligence on Kolon’s part and secure compensation.

Overall, the court’s ruling sheds light on the complexities of legal proceedings in scientific fields and underscores the importance of balancing public safety with judicial processes.