Jung Sungho, a 38-Year Confidant of President Lee, Nominated as Justice Minister: The "Cautious Reformer"
Yoon Hojoong, Who Led Lee's Presidential Campaign, Tapped as Interior Minister: The "Hardliner"
Bong Wook, Former Deputy Prosecutor General, Joins as Senior Presidential Secretary
"Separation of Investigative and Indictment Powers" Reform Expected to Accelerate After Confirmation Hearings
President Lee Jaemyung has nominated Democratic Party lawmaker Jung Sungho as Minister of Justice, Democratic Party lawmaker Yoon Hojoong as Minister of the Interior and Safety, and former Deputy Prosecutor General Bong Wook as Senior Presidential Secretary for Civil Affairs. Observers say that President Lee's intentions and plans to recalibrate and strengthen oversight over the powerful prosecution service are becoming clear through this "trio." The pace and direction of prosecution reform-centered on the separation of investigative and indictment powers-now depend on the actions of these key appointees.
Jung Sungho, the nominee for Minister of Justice, is a close confidant of President Lee, having been his classmate in the 18th class of the Judicial Research and Training Institute and working together for 38 years. As a five-term lawmaker, Jung is considered the leader of the pro-Lee Jaemyung faction and is known as a rationalist who does not hesitate to offer candid advice to the president, deeply sharing the administration's philosophy. Having served as chair of the National Assembly's Special Committee on Judicial Reform and as a member of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, Jung has played a leading role in legislative reforms of power institutions, making him well-versed in both the theory and practice of prosecution reform. As Minister of Justice, his top priorities are to fulfill President Lee's core pledge to separate prosecutorial investigative and indictment powers, and to establish democratic control over the prosecution organization. Jung has also expressed a strong commitment to the success of these reforms, stating that he will "do his utmost to normalize power institutions."
Yoon Hojoong, nominated as Minister of the Interior and Safety, is a senior five-term lawmaker in the Democratic Party who has served as party secretary-general, floor leader, and emergency committee chair. During the last presidential election, he built trust with Lee by serving as chief operating officer of the campaign committee. Although not a lawyer by training, Yoon led legislative efforts to adjust investigative powers between the police and prosecution as chair of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee in the first half of the 21st National Assembly, and is regarded as a practical politician with strong drive. In fact, in 2022, when the Democratic Party pushed through the so-called "Complete Deprivation of Prosecutorial Investigative Powers" bill, Yoon was at the center of the effort. Despite opposition from the then-opposition parties, Yoon pushed ahead with the reform bill, stating, "It is time to end the prosecution's monopoly on investigative and indictment powers, which has lasted over 70 years." With his combination of meticulous strategy and drive, Yoon is expected to work closely with Jung as head of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, swiftly pursuing follow-up measures such as institutional reforms to fully separate investigative and indictment powers.
Bong Wook, an attorney at Kim & Chang, has been appointed to work alongside these two ministerial nominees in the presidential office. He was appointed about three weeks after former Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs Oh Gwangsu resigned over allegations of holding assets under borrowed names. Bong, the new Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, is a former prosecutor who served as Deputy Prosecutor General. A member of the 19th class of the Judicial Research and Training Institute, he held key positions such as head of the Central Investigation Department's High-Tech Crime Division, planning director at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, and chief of public security planning, earning a reputation as a "planning expert" among prosecutors. President Lee's decision to appoint him after Oh Gwangsu is said to reflect the view that "one must understand the prosecution to reform it." The aim is to take the lead in designing reforms and minimize organizational resistance by appointing someone well-versed in the prosecution's internal affairs.
This "trio" is likely to accelerate President Lee Jaemyung's top policy priority-prosecution reform-immediately after passing the National Assembly's confirmation hearings. As the ruling party is already pushing ahead with measures such as restructuring the prosecution to fully separate investigative and indictment powers and establishing a new Major Crimes Investigation Agency, there is no room for hesitation. Of course, backlash is expected. The People Power Party and other conservative opposition parties are strongly protesting, calling it a "judicial takeover by the administration," while voices of concern are also emerging within the prosecution over the reduction of investigative authority.
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