Controversy mounts over highly public figure’s remarks

“The total sum of illegal rebates in Korea’s medication cost of 13 trillion won is estimated at 2.18 trillion won and thus, a thorough and cruel crackdown on kickbacks should be inevitable in the local pharmaceutical industry.”

The remarks were made by the Vice Health Minister Sohn Kun-ik on Jan. 18 in a bid to criticize the rampant rebate practice of domestic pharmaceutical industry.

But...