President Lee Jae Myung Nominates Defense Chief as Justice Minister Candidate

The Chosun Ilbo · Kim Tae-jun ·

President Lee Jae Myung Nominates Defense Chief as Justice Minister Candidate Opposition Criticizes Revolving Door Appointments, Highlighting Reliance on Trusted Figures

President Lee Jae Myung nominated Lee Yong-cheol, 66 years old, head of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, as the new Justice Minister candidate on the 6th. The nominee stated, “I will ensure the smooth completion of prosecutorial reform and work to swiftly establish a new criminal justice system.” Choi In-ho, 60 years old, president of the Korea Housing & Urban Guarantee Corporation (HUG) and a two-term former lawmaker, was selected as the Senior Secretary for Political Affairs at Cheong Wa Dae.

Lee, born in Suncheong, Jeonbuk, is a 21st-term graduate of the Judicial Research and Training Institute. He previously served at the Lawyers for a Democratic Society (Minbyun), and during the Roh Moo-hyun administration, he held roles including Legal Affairs Secretary and Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs at Cheong Wa Dae. He is also affiliated with Saegil Law Firm, where President Lee previously worked as a lead attorney. The two are known to have maintained a close relationship as senior and junior colleagues. When President Lee was elected mayor of Seongnam, Lee served as a transition committee member and was later appointed CEO of the Seongnam Industry Promotion Foundation. In 2006, he served as the first deputy head of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration and was appointed to lead the agency last November, following the current administration’s inauguration. At the time, the People Power Party criticized him as the “hidden architect of the Daejang-dong Gate.”

President Lee also nominated Ahn Deok-su, 55 years old, current head of the Seoul Regional Tax Office, as the National Tax Service chief. This follows Lim Kwang-hyun, former National Tax Service chief and current Cheong Wa Dae Chief of Staff, moving to Cheong Wa Dae, enabling an internal promotion.

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