[Yoon Seok-yeol Elected] 'Strong-willed Prosecutor' with Extensive Experience in Special Departments... Trademark 'Tenacity and Loyalty'

Passed the Judicial Exam on the 9th Attempt
Arrested and Investigated Figures like Ahn Hee-jung under Roh Moo-hyun Government
Gained Recognition through Investigations of Cho Kuk under Moon Jae-in Government
Resolved Conflicts with Breakthrough Skills after Entering Politics

President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol during his senior year in the Department of Law at Seoul National University.
[Photo by People Power Party Election Committee]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] Yoon Seok-yeol, elected as the 20th president, became an unprecedented figure in our political history simply by being a political newcomer with ‘zero terms’ as a member of the National Assembly. Since declaring his political participation in June last year, he reached the presidential race faster than any previous president. It is evaluated that his perseverance, decisiveness, and loyal leadership were demonstrated on his way to becoming president.

◆A seasoned special investigation prosecutor= Born in Seoul in 1960, Yoon is the eldest son among one son and one daughter of Yoon Ki-jung, an honorary professor at Yonsei University, and Choi Jeong-ja, a former professor at Ewha Womans University, and had a relatively affluent childhood.

Yoon graduated from Seoul Chungam High School and Seoul National University Law School and has lived a turbulent life as a seasoned ‘special investigation prosecutor.’ After passing the bar exam at the age of 31 in 1991 on his ninth attempt, he began his career as a prosecutor. Throughout his prosecutorial career, he worked exclusively as a ‘special investigation prosecutor,’ conducting investigations that led to the arrest of high-ranking officials such as former Chungnam Governor Ahn Hee-jung and Changshin Textile CEO Kang Geum-won during the Roh Moo-hyun administration.

In 2002, he left the prosecutor’s office to work as a lawyer at a major law firm but returned to the prosecution after a year, saying he missed the “smell of jajangmyeon at the prosecution office,” and began to rise steadily. Notably, during the investigation of the National Intelligence Service incident under the Park Geun-hye administration in 2013, his resolute statement at the National Assembly audit, “I am not loyal to people,” was repeatedly recalled.

Later, he was effectively demoted to the Daegu High Prosecutors’ Office for ‘failure to report to superiors.’ However, he solidified his image as a ‘tough prosecutor’ and regained attention three years later in 2016 by joining the special investigation team for the ‘Park Geun-hye ? Choi Soon-sil Gate.’ With the inauguration of the Moon Jae-in administration, he was appointed as the head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office and became known through the arrest investigations of former President Lee Myung-bak and Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong.

However, Yoon came into opposition with the current ruling party while leading the investigation of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk. He conducted investigations targeting the core of the Moon administration, including allegations of the Blue House’s ‘Yoo Jae-soo inspection cover-up’ and ‘Ulsan mayor’s ordered investigation.’ Despite opposition from the Liberty Korea Party and Bareun Party, President Moon appointed Yoon as Prosecutor General in 2019.

After clashing with former Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae over the Cho Kuk investigation, Yoon resigned from the Prosecutor General position. In June of the same year, he effectively declared his presidential bid. Yoon, who positioned ‘fairness and common sense’ as his identity, later joined the People Power Party. His political entry left a strong impression as a counterpoint to the current administration’s hypocrisy regarding fairness and justice.

Throughout the primary season, he maintained the top spot in opposition candidate support ratings, attracting national attention, but was also subject to controversy due to repeated gaffes and internal campaign disputes.

Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol is entering the Maeheon Yun Bong-gil Memorial Hall in Seocho-gu, Seoul, where a press conference for his presidential candidacy is being held on the morning of the 29th. 2021.6.29 Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group

Since being selected as the People Power Party’s presidential candidate in November last year, he faced many ups and downs. After being embroiled in the so-called ‘Yoon Core Group (Yoon Seok-yeol’s key associates)’ controversy, conflicts arose within the campaign committee between then-party leader Lee Jun-seok and then-spokesperson Cho Soo-jin, culminating in the resignation of Kim Jong-in, the overall campaign chairman, putting Yoon’s leadership to the test. After downsizing the campaign committee and reorganizing, he launched a full-scale presidential race. Especially, by posting the five-character pledge ‘abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family’ on social media, he garnered support from men in their 20s, which became a turning point in the campaign atmosphere.

In the razor-thin support race, he successfully achieved candidate unification. He rejected the primary-based unification demand proposed by Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, and instead reached an agreement through direct negotiation.

◆Leadership of perseverance and loyalty= Yoon, who left a deep impression as a ‘tough prosecutor’ throughout his prosecutorial career, navigated moments of crisis with his unique breakthrough ability and perseverance after entering politics. Notably, he joined the People Power Party abruptly to participate in the primary and personally met with party leader Lee Jun-seok in Ulsan during Lee’s hiatus, achieving a dramatic reconciliation. Also, after a power struggle during the campaign committee formation, he appointed former overall campaign chairman Kim Jong-in, former standing campaign chairman Kim Byung-joon, and former New Era Preparation Committee chairman Kim Han-gil. During the unification negotiations with Ahn, he actively persuaded him by sending text messages and making direct contact, leading to unification.

His ‘loyalty,’ characterized by rarely abandoning those he trusts, is also cited as a key to his leadership. Even during his prosecutorial career, the term ‘Yoon Seok-yeol faction’ emerged as he embraced those around him, and after entering politics, he showed full support for those he trusted. However, this trait also led to ongoing ‘Yoon Core Group’ controversies, raising concerns about favoritism.

Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, and Ahn Cheol-soo, the presidential candidate of the People’s Party, are holding hands after concluding a unification press conference at the National Assembly Communication Office in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of the 3rd. Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group

◆Interest in liberal economics… once dreamed of joining the Bank of Korea= Although Yoon has lived his life as a legal professional, he has consistently emphasized liberal economics since entering politics. It is well known that the book ‘Free to Choose’ by Milton Friedman, a leading figure of the new liberal economic school in the U.S., was a gift from his father, honorary professor Yoon Ki-jung, to commemorate his admission to Seoul National University Law School. After repeated failures in the bar exam, he even considered joining the Bank of Korea. His interest in economics is said to be influenced by his father, who graduated from Yonsei University’s Department of Economics and worked as a professor of applied statistics.

Yoon married Kim Geon-hee, who is 12 years his junior, at the age of 52. He does not shy away from being called a ‘devoted husband.’ They have no children but raise four dogs and three cats.

He is known for his strong drinking capacity, reportedly able to drink 30,000cc of beer in one sitting, and enjoys cooking, having demonstrated his skill by making egg rolls without sticking using a stainless steel pan on a TV variety show.