President-elect Yoon Nominates Prosecutor Han Dong-hoon as Minister of Justice Candidate (Update)

by Lee Kimin

Published 13 Apr.2022 13:56(KST)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol is scheduled to nominate Han Dong-hoon, Deputy Director of the Judicial Research and Training Institute (27th class, Chief Prosecutor), as the new Minister of Justice on the 13th.

Han, a leading special prosecutor within the prosecution, investigated cases related to the Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye administrations during his tenure as the 3rd Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, as well as the abuse of judicial administrative power case during Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae's Supreme Court tenure.

President-elect Yoon is known to have described Han to his close aides as "a prosecutor who wouldn't listen even if I asked," reflecting his reputation as a 'toughest among the tough.'

Han is a close associate of Yoon within the prosecution. When Yoon was appointed Prosecutor General, Han was promoted to Chief Prosecutor and served as Head of the Anti-Corruption and Strong Crime Division at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office.

Since the investigation of Cho Kuk conducted by the Special Investigation Division of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office during his time as Head of the Anti-Corruption and Strong Crime Division, Han has been demoted four times. Recently, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office cleared him of charges related to the Channel A case.

Han entered the transition committee office in Tongui-dong, Seoul, without responding to reporters about his nomination.

President-elect Yoon is scheduled to hold a press conference at 2 p.m. that day regarding the second cabinet lineup, including the Minister of Justice.