[Profile] Park Seongjae, Minister of Justice Nominee... Expert in Investigating Corporate Corruption

‘Strict Character’ Evaluation... Investigation of Late Chairman Lee Geon-hee and Former Haitai Chairman Park Geon-bae
Possibility of Legal and Prosecution Reforms... Large-scale Personnel Changes May Also Be Implemented

President Yoon Suk-yeol on the 23rd nominated Park Seong-jae, former Seoul High Prosecutor General (age 61, Judicial Research and Training Institute class 17), as the candidate for Minister of Justice. Park is known for his strict character, strong sense of responsibility, and integrity.

Park Seong-jae, former Seoul High Prosecutor General, nominated as Minister of Justice on the 23rd.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Park, a native of Cheongdo, Gyeongbuk, led investigations into corporate corruption involving companies such as Kyungnam Enterprises and POSCO while serving as the head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in 2015. He was also once a candidate for Prosecutor General.

During his tenure as head of the Financial and Tax Investigation Division 1 at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, he handled various stock manipulation cases and gained recognition for his capabilities in corporate investigations. In 2006, he prosecuted Park Geon-bae, former chairman of Haitai Group, on charges of embezzlement of company funds. In the same year, he also participated in the investigation of the illicit gift case involving the late Lee Kun-hee, chairman of Samsung Group, through Everland convertible bonds.

If Park is appointed as Minister of Justice following the National Assembly confirmation hearing, there is cautious speculation that he will reform the Ministry of Justice and prosecution. A large-scale personnel reshuffle among senior prosecutors may also take place.

Within and outside the legal community, there is analysis that, due to the recent conflict between President Yoon and Han Dong-hoon, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, there is a possibility of a personnel overhaul aimed at erasing the influence of Han, the former Minister of Justice and current Emergency Response Committee Chairman.

▲ Daegu High School ▲ Korea University Law School ▲ Chuncheon District Prosecutors' Office Gangneung Branch Chief Prosecutor ▲ Supreme Prosecutors' Office Research Officer ▲ Judicial Research and Training Institute Professor ▲ Supreme Prosecutors' Office Inspection Division 2 Chief ▲ Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office Financial and Tax Investigation Division 1 Chief ▲ Daegu District Prosecutors' Office Gimcheon Branch Chief ▲ Ministry of Justice Inspection Officer ▲ Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office Deputy Chief Prosecutor ▲ Jeju District Prosecutors' Office Chief ▲ Changwon District Prosecutors' Office Chief ▲ Gwangju High Prosecutors' Office Chief ▲ Daegu High Prosecutors' Office Chief ▲ Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office Chief ▲ Seoul High Prosecutors' Office Chief