The Secret of Han Dong-hoon's Direct and Impactful Language Is Reading

"Obsession and Lynch, Fight with Facts and Common Sense"
Fresh Response to Resignation Letter Posted on Internal Network
Concise Answers at Hearing Draw Attention
Surroundings "Amazed by Towering Piles of Books"

Justice Minister nominee Han Dong-hoon is delivering opening remarks at the confirmation hearing held at the National Assembly on the 9th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] "I fought with facts and common sense as weapons despite obsessive madness and all kinds of lynching."

On the 15th, Han Dong-hoon, the nominee for Minister of Justice, posted a resignation letter on the internal prosecution network, which is creating a fresh reaction. On the 16th, there is even an analysis within the prosecution that "the strong and impressive phrases awakened frontline prosecutors who were exhausted by the passage of the ‘Geomsu Wanbak (Complete Deprivation of Prosecution Investigation Rights)’ bill." He used strong words such as ‘madness’ and ‘lynching’ to describe political pressure on the prosecution. It is also notable that he praised prosecutors as a ‘profession where the working standard is justice and common sense.’

Han’s language is direct and impactful, causing a big stir in political and legal circles. His remarks at the hearing held by the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee on the 9th were also a hot topic. Because he led investigations targeting the Moon Jae-in administration, he faced many attacks from the Democratic Party of Korea, but he countered each time with simple and clear explanations. He poured out aggressive phrases such as "I received political pressure but never yielded" and "It is not acceptable to fabricate crimes that do not exist, but it is also not acceptable to cover up existing crimes." His words captured the public’s attention. The real-time viewership of the hearing that morning nearly reached 50,000 at one point.

Legal insiders say, "The source of Han’s language is reading." Han usually reads a lot of books. Those who visited his office when he worked as deputy chief prosecutor at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office were reportedly surprised by the number of books he had. The books filled the study and were stacked like towers in several places next to his desk. It is highly likely that his ability to select the most impressive words was cultivated through reading. When Han wrote the indictment during the investigation of the state corruption scandal, he summarized the reason Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong of Samsung Electronics was involved in the case with the phrase ‘management succession issue.’ This phrase was first used by Han and later appeared unchanged in indictments and media articles related to the state corruption scandal. Han is also known to have personally organized numerous statements distributed externally when he was accused of the so-called ‘media collusion’ allegation involving Channel A reporters and specific investigations, and when he was on trial for the case of assaulting Prosecutor Jeong Jin-ung.

Attention is also focused on various messages Han will deliver after being appointed Minister of Justice. President Yoon Seok-youl is expected to push through Han’s appointment if the hearing report requested from the National Assembly on the 16th is not submitted. According to the Public Official Hearing Act, if the National Assembly misses the deadline for adopting the report, the president can request resubmission within ten days, and if the report is not submitted by that deadline, the president can proceed with the ministerial appointment.

After his appointment, Han is expected to first propose a one-point personnel appointment for the acting Prosecutor General. This means replacing the deputy chief prosecutor of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office. Since the appointment process for the currently vacant Prosecutor General position is expected to take at least a month, this measure aims to minimize the resulting vacancy. Through this, Han may also present the direction of the upcoming personnel reshuffle of senior prosecution officials expected to be carried out this month.