Completion of Handonghun Confirmation Hearing Preparation Team Formation... Shin Jayong Appointed as General Team Leader

Han Dong-hoon, Deputy Director of the Judicial Research and Training Institute, who has been nominated as Minister of Justice, is listening to the second cabinet announcement of President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol at the briefing room of the Presidential Transition Committee in Tongui-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 13th. Photo by Transition Committee Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] Han Dong-hoon, the nominee for Minister of Justice, is forming a hearing preparation team and officially starting preparations for the confirmation hearing. On the 14th, the Ministry of Justice announced that Shin Ja-yong, Head of the Litigation Department at the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office (age 50, Judicial Research and Training Institute class 28), was appointed as the head of the preparation team.

Prosecutor Shin served as the chief of the Special Investigation Division 1, directly under Chief Prosecutor Han when he was the 3rd Deputy Chief at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. He investigated major cases such as allegations of abuse of judicial administrative power during former Chief Justice Yang Seung-tae's tenure and the manipulation of the Sewol ferry disaster report time, earning a reputation as Han's "right-hand man."

The head of the hearing preparation team, following usual practice, is Joo Young-hwan, Director of Planning and Coordination at the Ministry of Justice (age 52, Judicial Research and Training Institute class 27). Director Joo is a classmate of nominee Han, and he served as the public relations officer in the 2019 confirmation hearing preparation team when President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol was nominated as Prosecutor General.

The public relations team leader is Kwon Soon-jung, Chief of the Western Branch of the Busan District Prosecutors' Office (age 48, class 29). Chief Kwon was appointed as spokesperson for the Supreme Prosecutors' Office when President-elect Yoon took office as Prosecutor General in 2019.

The personnel team leader is Kim Chang-jin, Chief of the Jinju Branch of the Changwon District Prosecutors' Office (age 47, class 31). Chief Kim also served as the personnel team leader in Prosecutor General Yoon's confirmation hearing preparation team. Additionally, the administrative support team leader is Kim Sang-kwon, Innovation Administration Officer at the Ministry of Justice.

According to the Confirmation Hearing Act, state agencies may provide the minimum necessary administrative support for public office candidates undergoing confirmation hearings under the Act. The preparation team office is scheduled to be set up at the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Nominee Han will start working from the 15th.