[Q&A] Resurrection of 'Minjung Chief Secretary' Kim Juhyun... Minjung Secretary Lee Dongok and Public Service Discipline Lee Wonmo (Comprehensive Report 2)

Yoon: "Public Sentiment Listening Function Too Weak"
Transfer of Public Service Discipline and Legal Secretary to the Civil Affairs Office

President Yoon Suk-yeol is introducing Kim Joo-hyun, former Deputy Minister of Justice, who has been appointed as the new Senior Presidential Secretary for Civil Affairs, during a personnel briefing held at the Yongsan Presidential Office Building in Seoul on the 7th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon Suk-yeol has revived the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs position to strengthen the function of gathering public opinion and has undertaken personnel and organizational reshuffles around the 10th, marking his second anniversary in office.

On the morning of the 7th, President Yoon held a briefing at the Yongsan Presidential Office in Seoul and appointed Kim Joo-hyun (63, 18th Judicial Research and Training Institute class), former Deputy Minister of Justice, as the newly established Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs at the Presidential Office. President Yoon had abolished the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs office during the last presidential election, citing past abuses such as interference in investigations by the office overseeing judicial affairs. However, following the defeat in the April 10 general election, the need to reinforce public opinion gathering was actively raised, leading to a change in direction.

Q. Who is the new Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, Kim Joo-hyun?

A. Born in Seoul, he graduated from Seorabeol High School and Seoul National University Law School. After completing the 18th class of the Judicial Research and Training Institute, he began his career as a prosecutor at the Seoul District Prosecutors' Office in 1989. He served as the Planning Director at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, Director of the Prosecutor's Office at the Ministry of Justice, and held senior positions including Chief Prosecutor of the Criminal Division 1 at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, eventually becoming the 3rd Deputy Chief Prosecutor there. After the former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook was acquitted in the first trial by the Special 2nd Division of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, Kim was reassigned to the head of the Anyang branch of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office in a move considered a demotion. However, a year later in August 2011, he was promoted to Chief Prosecutor and appointed Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office. Subsequently, he held key positions at the Ministry of Justice, including Director of the Planning Office and Director of the Prosecutor's Office.

In February 2015, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Justice, and in December of the same year, he was named Deputy Chief Prosecutor at 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, he was recognized early on among his peers at the Judicial Research and Training Institute as a potential future Prosecutor General due to his outstanding investigative skills and efficient case handling.

Q. Why was former Deputy Minister Kim chosen?

A. Kim is regarded as a prosecutor who excelled in both investigative and planning abilities. In 1993, when he was a fifth-year prosecutor, he worked alongside President Yoon, who had just been appointed as a prosecutor, at the Daegu District Prosecutors' Office. He held various important roles, including 3rd Deputy Chief Prosecutor at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, which handles critical and sensitive investigations, and Director of the Prosecutor's Office at the Ministry of Justice, overseeing the prosecution's budget and personnel. A former high-ranking prosecutor who worked under him recalled, "Kim was a very smart and capable prosecutor. He was not only good at investigations but also very efficient and precise when assigned tasks."

He is known to inspire trust from superiors, giving the impression that he would handle any task well. He is also praised for his excellent communication skills, aided by his unique affability. During his time as spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice and as 3rd Deputy Chief Prosecutor at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, he maintained good relations with the media. He also served as acting Minister of Justice during his tenure as Deputy Minister and as acting Prosecutor General while Deputy Chief Prosecutor at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office. His leadership strengths include experience leading frontline special investigations as well as managing the Supreme Prosecutors' Office and Ministry of Justice organizations.

Kim Juhyun, former Deputy Minister of Justice, who was appointed as the new Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs at the Presidential Office, is attending a personnel briefing held at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in Seoul on the 7th and sharing his thoughts. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Q. Why is the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs being revived?

A. It is to better listen to and gather public opinion following the crushing defeat in the general election. When asked why he reinstated the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs office, President Yoon said, "In an interview in July 2021 when I started my political career, I mentioned that I would not establish the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs office if I became president, and I have maintained that stance. However, the function of listening to public opinion was too weak, and I received a lot of advice from editorials and those around me."

He continued, "Since the civil affairs work was not functioning properly, I also pondered over it. Former President Kim Dae-jung, concerned about dysfunction, initially only had the Legal Secretary's Office but eventually restored the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs office two years after his inauguration. I also thought it would be better to restore the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs office." He added, "During a meeting with Representative Lee Jae-myung, the opposition party delegation pointed out the need for a public opinion gathering function, saying that frontline public sentiment did not seem to be reaching the president, and they mentioned restoring the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs office."

With the revived Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs office, the Office of Public Service Discipline and the Legal Secretary's Office, which were under the Chief of Staff, will be transferred, and a new Civil Affairs Secretary's Office will be established. Lee Dong-ok, spokesperson for the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, has been appointed as the Civil Affairs Secretary, and Lee Won-mo, former Personnel Secretary, is reportedly appointed as the Public Service Discipline Secretary. Lee Dong-ok, from Jecheon, Chungbuk, graduated from Korea University with a degree in economics. He has served as Government Innovation Planning Officer and Local Finance Policy Officer at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. Lee Won-mo, a former prosecutor and part of the "Yoon Suk-yeol faction," graduated from Yonsei University with a degree in business administration. He served as Personnel Secretary at the Presidential Office and ran unsuccessfully for the April 10 general election in Yongin Gap, Gyeonggi Province.

Q. Will the Presidential Office continue its 'communication enhancement' efforts?

A. President Yoon is also strengthening communication with the press corps. The president's second anniversary press conference will begin at 10 a.m. on the 9th and will be conducted in a format where he receives and answers questions from the Presidential Office press corps. A Presidential Office official said, "President Yoon has not scheduled any public events on the 6th and 7th to focus on preparation with his aides for the press conference on the 9th. He plans to answer sincerely, focusing on questions the public is curious about rather than what he wants to say."