[Profile] Yoon Administration's First 'Prosecutor General Candidate' Lee Won-seok

A Leading 'Specialist' in the Prosecutor's Office... Skilled in Planning and Investigation
Inside the Prosecution: "No Issues or Flaws in Candidate Lee's Work"

Lee Won-seok, the Deputy Prosecutor General of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, who was nominated as the first Prosecutor General candidate of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, 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] Lee Won-seok, Deputy Prosecutor General of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office (age 53, Judicial Research and Training Institute class 27), was nominated on the 18th as the first Prosecutor General candidate of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration.

Lee is considered a leading special investigation prosecutor within the prosecution. He worked with President Yoon Seok-yeol 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 ordered her detention.

Born in Gwangju, Jeollanam-do, Lee graduated from Joongdong High School and Seoul National University with a degree in Political Science. He passed the 37th Judicial Examination in 1995, completed the Judicial Research and Training Institute, and was commissioned as a prosecutor at the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office in 1998. Since then, he has served as a prosecutor at Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, researcher at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office Criminal Investigation Department, prosecutor at the Ministry of Justice Legal Affairs Office, deputy chief prosecutor of the Financial and Tax Investigation Division 3 at Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, head of the Criminal Division 2 at Jeju District Prosecutors' Office, chief of the Miryang branch of Changwon District Prosecutors' Office, head of the Investigation Support Division at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, head of the Investigation Command Division at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, and head of Special Investigation Division 1 at Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office.

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

Within the prosecution, Lee is known as a figure who speaks frankly even to his seniors. He is also praised for his expertise across all areas of prosecution work, including planning and investigation.

There is even a saying within the prosecution that "there is no problem or flaw in anything Deputy Prosecutor General Lee does." He served as acting Prosecutor General, leading the efforts to normalize the previously abnormal organization over three months.

Lee is reported to have set up an office at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office to prepare for the confirmation hearing. He is expected to manage both the duties of acting Prosecutor General and the preparation for the hearing simultaneously. According to precedent, the head of the confirmation hearing preparation team will likely be the Chief of the Planning and Coordination Department at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office.

▲ Born May 14, 1969 ▲ Gwangju, Jeollanam-do ▲ Joongdong High School ▲ Seoul National University, Department of Political Science ▲ Passed 37th Judicial Examination, completed Judicial Research and Training Institute (class 27) ▲ Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office ▲ Seosan Branch of Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office ▲ Busan District Prosecutors' Office ▲ Seoul District Prosecutors' Office ▲ Supreme Prosecutors' Office Criminal Investigation Department ▲ Ministry of Justice Legal Affairs Office ▲ Head of Criminal Division 2, Jeju District Prosecutors' Office ▲ Chief of Miryang Branch, Changwon District Prosecutors' Office ▲ Head of Investigation Support Division, Supreme Prosecutors' Office ▲ Head of Investigation Command Division, Supreme Prosecutors' Office ▲ Head of Special Investigation Division 1, Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office ▲ Chief of Yeoju Branch, Suwon District Prosecutors' Office ▲ Head of Joint Investigation Team for Overseas Crime Proceeds Recovery ▲ Chief of Planning and Coordination Department, Supreme Prosecutors' Office ▲ Deputy Chief Prosecutor, Suwon High Prosecutors' Office ▲ Chief Prosecutor, Jeju District Prosecutors' Office ▲ Deputy Prosecutor General and Acting Prosecutor General