Han Dong-hoon

In this Korean name, the family name is Han.

Han Dong-hoon
한동훈
Han in 2024
Leader of the People Power Party
Interim
In office 26 December 2023 – 11 April 2024[1]
Preceded by	Kim Gi-hyeon
Succeeded by	Yoon Jae-ok (acting)
Minister of Justice
In office 17 May 2022 – 21 December 2023
President	Yoon Suk Yeol
Prime Minister	Han Duck-soo
Preceded by	Park Beom-kye
Succeeded by	Park Sung-jae
Personal details
Born	(1973-04-09) 9 April 1973 (age 51) Seoul, South Korea
Political party	People Power (2023–present)
Alma mater	Seoul National University (LLB) Columbia University (LLM)
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	South Korea
Branch/service	Republic of Korea Air Force
Years of service	1998–2001
Rank	Captain (Korean: Daewi)
Unit	Military advocate

Han Dong-hoon (Korean: 한동훈; Hanja: 韓東勳; born 9 April 1973) is the 69th minister of justice of the Republic of Korea, serving in the administration of President Yoon Suk Yeol. Han previously served as a junior anti-corruption prosecutor and played a leading role in multiple high-profile cases, including those involving Samsung executive Lee Jae-yong, former Presidents Park Geun-hye and Lee Myung-bak, and family members of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk. Considered a protégé and close associate of Yoon, Han served as a principal deputy when the president held senior positions in the Korean prosecution service.^[2]

Early life

Han was born on April 9, 1973, in Seoul, where he completed his high school education. He then attended Seoul National University's law school, where he obtained his Bachelor of Law degree. In 1995, while still in college, he passed the bar exam and then attended the Judicial Research and Training Institute (27th class). His first assignment as a legal professional was to serve as a military advocate in the ROK Air Force and finished his military duties with the rank of captain. He obtained a master's degree in law from Columbia Law School in New York in 2005 and was admitted to the New York State Bar.^[3][4]

Career as prosecutor

In 2001, Han was appointed to the Seoul District Prosecutors' Office and began his career as a prosecutor.

When he was appointed to the Central Investigation Department of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in 2003, he first met with Yoon Suk-yeol to investigate SK Group's accounting fraud and helped arrest chairman Chey Tae-won, and investigated the presidential slush fund case, Hyundai Motor corruption case, and the Lone Star sale case.

In 2016, Park Young-soo's special prosecutor team investigated the case of the government manipulation of state affairs with Yoon Suk-yeol investigation team leader and arrested Lee Jae-yong, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics.^[5]

In 2017, Han was appointed as the third deputy prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, which oversees anti-corruption and special investigations, and assisted Yoon Suk-yeol When he was the 3rd deputy prosecutor, he led the arrest of former President Lee Myung Bak by revealing that he was the real owner of auto parts maker "DAS" and investigated former Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae's alleged abuse of judicial administrative power and handed over a large number of former and current high-ranking judges to trial.^[6]

In 2019, he was promoted to the chief prosecutor and led the investigation of the family of the Minister of Justice Cho Kuk as the head of the anti-corruption and power department, even though he was widely regarded as corrupt and immoral. In 2020, then Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae demoted Han to Busan High Prosecutors' Office as deputy prosecutor in the first prosecution personnel reshuffle. In June 2020, he was demoted to a researcher at the Legal Research and Training Institute due to the 'Channel A scandal'. In June 2021,^[7] due to the Ministry of Justice's personnel reshuffle with the prosecution, he was demoted again to the vice president of the Judicial Research and Training Institute.^[8][9][10]

On May 17, 2022, Han was appointed as the 69th Minister of Justice of the Republic of Korea.^[6]

Minister of Justice (2022-2023)

In his first speech as Justice Minister, Han stated that he would revive the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors Office's Joint Securities Crime Division (Korean: 증권범죄합수단) that was abolished by his predecessor Choo Mi-ae.^[11] Han stepped down from the minister post in December 2023 to take over as the interim leader of the ruling People Power Party.^[12][13]

Political career

Han took office as the People Power Party's emergency committee chairman on December 26, 2023.^[14]

Conflict with Yoon Suk-yeol

Despite his history as Minister of Justice in Yoon Suk-yeol cabinet, media reports often highlighted the 'conflict' between Han as ruling party leader and the government.^[15][16] In January 2024, Han received a request from the President's Office to resign as emergency committee chairman of PPP.^[17] The media claimed that this was due to his remarks regarding First Lady Kim Kun-hee's suspicions of luxury bag corruption.^[18] He rejected calls for his resignation and reaffirmed his previous position about the first lady on January 22.^[19] However, after a brief meeting with the president at the scene of the fire at the market in Seocheon on January 23, he made no further mention of Kim Kun-hee.^[20] Kim Kyung-yul, another major figure who was appointed to the emergency committee by Han and criticized the first lady, announced that he would not run in 2024 election.^[21]

2024 election

In the process of advocating for the abolition of the privilege of non-arrest of National Assembly members, Han stated that he would nominate only those who pledged to give up the privilege of non-arrest as candidates for the 2024 election.^[22]

During the election period, Han responded to the theory of judgment on the Yoon Suk-yeol regime put forward by the Democratic Party of Korea by using the term Lee Cho Judgment (이조심판).^[23][24] He focused on attacking Lee Jae-myung and Cho Kuk, the leaders of the two major opposition parties, as 'criminals', formed the Lee Cho Judgment Special Committee, and made it an election strategy to highlight their past controversies.^[25][26] As the election period neared its end, he focused on highlighting the controversies of some candidates from DPK, including Yang Moon-seok and Kim Jun-hyuk.^[27]

He resigned from his position as chairman of PPP emergency committee on April 11, after losing the election.^[28]

References

1. "[속보] 한동훈, 비대위원장 사퇴…"국민 뜻 준엄하게 받아들여"". 11 April 2024. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
2. Son, Hyun-soo (16 May 2022). "Soon-to-be justice minister says he was "lynched" for investigating corruption by powerful". Retrieved 17 May 2022.
3. Jung, Min-kyung (20 December 2023). "[News Analysis] Will justice minister become beacon of hope for Korea's conservative bloc?". Korea Herald.
4. Huh, Jin-moo (20 April 2022). "Han Dong-hoon's Apartment, An Expedient Gift from His Mother?". Kyunghyang Shinmun.
5. Shin, Ji-hye (17 May 2022). "Yoon forges ahead with justice minister appointment against resistance". The Korea Herald.
6. Kim, Sarah (17 May 2022). "Yoon Suk-yeol appoints Han Dong-hoon as justice minister over objections". Korea Joongang Daily.
7. 최순웅·이정민. (특수단 출범)③ 기업비리 전문 '쌍칼'...한동훈 2팀장. 조선비즈. 기사입력 2016년 1월 15일. 기사수정 2016년 1월 16일.
8. 소중한. 부산·제주로 간 '윤석열 사람', 한동훈·박찬호는 누구?. 오마이뉴스. 2020년 1월 13일.
9. 김계연. 법무부 '검언유착 의혹' 한동훈 검사장 직접 감찰. 연합뉴스. 2020년 6월 25일.
10. 김태규. 측근 비호 비판에도…윤석열, 수사자문단 구성 강행. 한겨레. 2020년 6월 29일.
11. "한동훈 1호 지시… 秋가 없앴던 '증권범죄합수단' 부활". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). 17 May 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
12. Kim, Han-joo (21 December 2023). "Justice Minister Han agrees to take over as ruling party chief". Yonhap. Seoul.
13. Kim, Sam (21 December 2023). "Korea's Justice Chief Resigns to Lead Ruling Party in Election". Bloomberg.
14. Kang, Jae-eun (26 December 2023). "Ex-Justice Minister Han to take over as ruling party leader". Yonhap News Agency. Seoul.
15. 박기범·노선웅·정지형. 한동훈-대통령실 정면충돌…사퇴 압박에 "할일 하겠다"(종합). 뉴스1. 2024년 1월 21일.
16. 유설희. 윤 대통령·한동훈 ‘명품백 충돌’. 경향신문. 2024년 1월 21일.
17. 이성훈. 한동훈에 사퇴 요구…"할 일 하겠다". SBS. 2024년 1월 21일.
18. 손지은·고혜지. 대통령실 韓사퇴 요구… 한동훈 “할 일 하겠다”. 서울신문. 2024년 1월 21일.
19. 김판. 한동훈 반격 “사퇴 거부…김 여사 관련 입장 안 변해”. 국민일보. 2024년 1월 22일.
20. 강민경. 한동훈 "제 생각 충분히 말해"...김건희 리스크 언급 자제. YTN. 2024년 1월 25일.
21. 하수영. '尹∙韓 갈등' 부른 김경율 "총선 불출마, 비대위원 역할에 충실". 중앙일보. 2024년 2월 4일.
22. 이가영. 한동훈 “불체포특권 포기 서약때만 공천… 이재명 민주당과 달라야”. 조선일보. 2023년 12월 26일.
23. Lee, Seung-jae (31 March 2024). "[총선] 국민의힘 "'이조 심판' 선거…시민이 범죄자 막아야"". Korean Broadcasting System. Seoul.
24. Min, Ji-suk (30 March 2024). "한동훈 "범죄자의 복수 막아야" 이조 심판 강조". Maeil Broadcasting Network. Seoul.
25. 박기호·노선웅. 이재명 지역구 간 한동훈 "범죄자 심판하지 않으면 민생·정치개혁 없어". 뉴스1. 2024년 3월 30일.
26. Lee, Bi-seul (29 March 2024). "국힘 '이조심판특위' 출범…"이재명·조국 하나의 정치 세력"". 뉴스1. Seoul.
27. Ryu, Jae-min (30 March 2024). "한동훈 "이재명·양문석·김준혁의 쓰레기 같은 말" 원색 비난". Seoul Shinmun. Seoul.
28. Jeong, Dae-yeon; Lee, Du-ri (11 April 2024). "한동훈 "비대위원장직 사퇴···패배는 대통령실 아닌 제 책임"". Kyunghyang Shinmun.