[Profile] Who is Kim Juhyun, the New Chief of Civil Affairs?

Elite with experience in key Ministry of Justice and prosecution roles during prosecutor tenure
"Possesses both investigative and planning skills," evaluated
Experience in media communication as Ministry of Justice spokesperson and Central District Prosecutor's Office 3rd Deputy Chief

Kim Juhyun, the newly appointed Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs at the Presidential Office, which has been reinstated, is 62 years old and a graduate of the 18th Judicial Research and Training Institute. He was born in Seoul and graduated from Seorabeol High School and Seoul National University School of Law.

He passed the 28th Judicial Examination in 1986, completed the 18th Judicial Research and Training Institute, and began his career as a prosecutor at the Seoul District Prosecutors' Office (now Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office) in 1989. He then served at the Cheonan Branch of Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office, Daegu District Prosecutors' Office, and as a prosecutor in the Ministry of Justice's Prosecution Division 2, before returning to the Seoul District Prosecutors' Office in 1997. In 2001, he was promoted to deputy chief prosecutor and worked at the Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office. He also served as head of the Andong Branch of Daegu District Prosecutors' Office, a research prosecutor at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, and head of the Special Investigation Support Division of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office's Central Investigation Department.

Kim Juhyun, the newly appointed Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, is expressing his appointment remarks at the Presidential Office building in Yongsan, Seoul, on the 7th.

In 2004, he served as head of the Planning Division at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, and in 2006 as head of the Prosecution Division at the Ministry of Justice. In 2008, he was the senior-most chief prosecutor among all chief prosecutors nationwide, serving as head of the Criminal Division 1 at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. In 2009, after serving as spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice, he was appointed as the third deputy chief prosecutor at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, overseeing the Special Investigation Division (now the Anti-Corruption Investigation Division). At that time, he investigated and prosecuted former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook on allegations of bribery, but she was acquitted in the first trial. Subsequently, he was transferred to the head of the Anyang Branch of Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, which was regarded as a demotion.

However, a year later in August 2011, he was promoted to prosecutor general and appointed as deputy chief at the Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office. He then successively held key positions at the Ministry of Justice, including head of the Policy Office and director of the Prosecution Bureau. Former Prime Minister Han, who was acquitted in the first trial, was later convicted in the second trial and received a confirmed prison sentence from the Supreme Court.

In February 2015, he served as Vice Minister of Justice, and in December of the same year, he was appointed as deputy chief prosecutor of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, the second-highest position in the prosecution. After opening a law practice in 2017, he worked at Baeksan Joint Law Office before moving to Kim & Chang Law Office in 2021.

During his time as a prosecutor, Kim demonstrated outstanding investigative skills and efficient case handling, gaining recognition among his peers at the Judicial Research and Training Institute as a potential future Prosecutor General. His excellent academic performance in the judicial examination and training institute, as well as his practical investigative abilities, are evident from his initial posting at the Seoul District Prosecutors' Office.

A former high-ranking prosecutor who worked under him recalled, "Prosecutor Kim was very intelligent and competent. He was not only good at investigations but also a person who executed tasks decisively when assigned."

Kim was always a 'front-runner' among his peers in the prosecution. The positions he held, such as head of the Criminal Division 1 and third deputy chief at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, head of the Policy Office, and director of the Prosecution Bureau at the Ministry of Justice, are considered some of the highest-ranking posts within the prosecution.

He was one of the few prosecutors recognized for both investigative and planning abilities. He led the investigation of the most important and sensitive cases nationwide as the third deputy chief prosecutor at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office and managed the prosecution's budget and personnel as director of the Prosecution Bureau at the Ministry of Justice.

He was also skilled in communication, always giving a comfortable impression with a smiling face. Following his role as spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice, he gained experience directly communicating with the media during his tenure as third deputy chief prosecutor at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, where he handled briefings on the most sensitive ongoing investigations.

President Yoon Suk-yeol and Kim have a connection dating back to 1993 when both were prosecutors at the Daegu District Prosecutors' Office. Although President Yoon is one year older, Kim was a senior prosecutor by five years due to differences in their Judicial Research and Training Institute classes.

Kim also served as acting Minister of Justice during his tenure as Vice Minister of Justice and as acting Prosecutor General while serving as deputy chief prosecutor of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office. His leadership, demonstrated through frontline special investigation command experience and leading both the Supreme Prosecutors' Office and the Ministry of Justice, is one of his major strengths.