Han Dong-hoon, Minister of Justice, is gaining attention as a 'potential political leader (잠룡, 潛龍)' ahead of next year's general election, prompting a reevaluation of his 1 year and 6 months tenure as Minister of Justice within the legal community. Along with Han, the position of Minister of Justice itself is said to have grown in stature.
On the 20th, summarizing evaluations from political and legal circles, Han's presence grew through verbal exchanges with opposition figures. Even when faced with harsh attacks from opponents, he responded calmly and firmly, speaking only what needed to be said in a concise and strong tone. A legal insider commented, "These remarks helped cultivate an image of gentleness, and his position (Minister of Justice) also played a part in enabling such statements."
The Minister of Justice oversees prosecutorial affairs, holds personnel authority, and commands investigative authority through the Prosecutor General, making clashes with political circles inevitable. This is especially true when the prosecution is conducting investigations targeting political figures. This characteristic has intensified under the current administration, as large-scale investigations into various allegations involving opposition figures are underway. Scenes such as the Minister of Justice appearing before the National Assembly to explain twice the necessity of arrest ahead of a vote on the opposition leader's arrest consent motion were rarely seen in previous governments. Han's assumption of such a weighty position has drawn attention.
The legal community is already on alert regarding his successor. If Han runs in the general election, he is expected to step down from his ministerial post ahead of a cabinet reshuffle in early December. President Yoon, based on his experience working with former Ministers of Justice Chu Mi-ae and Park Beom-gye?who served as heads of the Ministry of Justice while holding National Assembly seats during their tenure as Prosecutor General?has reportedly established a principle of appointing non-politicians to the Minister of Justice position after his inauguration. Currently, without specific candidates being named, there is a high likelihood that a successor from the prosecution will be selected, and whoever comes is expected to receive attention comparable to Han.
Meanwhile, Han is expected to more clearly express his intention to enter politics this week. The presidential office has begun searching for Han's successor, and rumors suggest Han has solidified his decision to run in the general election. He will visit Daejeon on the 21st and Ulsan on the 24th. In Daejeon, he will visit the KAIST CBT Daejeon Center and attend the opening ceremony of the Korean Language Proficiency Evaluation Center. In Ulsan, he will inspect whether policies such as the introduction of skilled shipbuilding workers and the attraction of outstanding science and technology talents are being effectively implemented at locations including the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Culture Hall.
The Ministry of Justice maintains that these are purely policy field visits, but political and legal circles interpret the provincial tour schedule as being mindful of the general election. On the 23rd, Han is also scheduled to attend a plenary session of the National Assembly. The Democratic Party is discussing plans to propose and process impeachment motions against four active prosecutors at this session.
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