Yoon Administration to Appoint Lee Won-seok as First Prosecutor General... Announcement Expected Soon

A Leading 'Specialist' in the Prosecutor's Office... Skilled in Planning and Investigation
Plans to Concurrently Handle Acting Prosecutor General Duties and Hearing Preparation
Office for 'Personnel Hearing Preparation Team' Established at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office

Prosecutor General Lee Won-seok, who is known to be nominated as the first Prosecutor General of the new administration by President Yoon Suk-yeol, is arriving at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 18th. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Kyung-jun] It has been reported that President Yoon Seok-yeol will nominate Lee Won-seok, Deputy Prosecutor General of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office (acting Prosecutor General), as the first Prosecutor General candidate of the new administration on the 18th.

The Prosecutor General Candidate Recommendation Committee selected Deputy Prosecutor Lee, Yeo Hwan-seop, Director of the Judicial Research and Training Institute, Kim Hu-gon, Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office, and Lee Du-bong, Chief Prosecutor of the Daejeon High Prosecutors' Office as candidates on the 16th. Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon decided to recommend Deputy Prosecutor Lee to President Yoon.

Deputy Prosecutor Lee is regarded as a leading figure in special investigations within the prosecution. He worked with President Yoon in 2007 on the Samsung slush fund and lobbying case, and from 2016 to 2017, as head of the Special Investigation Division 1 at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, he investigated the Choi Soon-sil political scandal, directly interrogated former President Park Geun-hye, and subsequently had her detained.

Deputy Prosecutor Lee is from Gwangju, Jeollanam-do, graduated from Joongdong High School and Seoul National University with a degree in Political Science, and passed the 37th Judicial Examination in 1995. He was commissioned as a prosecutor at the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office. Since then, he has served as a prosecutor at the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, researcher at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office's Criminal Investigation Department, prosecutor at the Ministry of Justice's Legal Affairs Office, deputy chief prosecutor of the Financial and Tax Investigation Division 3 at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, chief of the Criminal Division 2 at the Jeju District Prosecutors' Office, chief of the Miryang Branch of the Changwon District Prosecutors' Office, head of the Investigation Support Division and Investigation Command Division at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, and head of the Special Investigation Division 1 at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office.

In 2019, he was promoted to head of the Planning and Coordination Department (Senior Prosecutor) at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, where he closely assisted then Prosecutor General Yoon. However, after the 'Cho Kuk investigation,' he was demoted to Deputy Chief Prosecutor at the Suwon High Prosecutors' Office.

Within the prosecution, Deputy Prosecutor Lee is known for speaking frankly to his seniors without hesitation. He is also praised for his proficiency in all areas of prosecutorial work, including planning and investigation.

There is even a saying within the prosecution that "there is no problem or flaw in anything Deputy Prosecutor Lee does." He is currently serving as acting Prosecutor General, leading the efforts to normalize the organization that had been in an abnormal state for three months.

If Deputy Prosecutor Lee is nominated as Prosecutor General candidate, unlike the precedent of forming a hearing preparation team at the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office, it is reported that an office for the preparation team will be set up at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office. Deputy Prosecutor Lee is expected to carry out both the duties of acting Prosecutor General and the preparation for the confirmation hearing simultaneously.