President Lee weighs justice minister pick between two ex-prosecutor lawmakers
President Lee Jae Myung is considering two former prosecutors, Park Kyoon-taek and Yang Bu-nam, as candidates for the vacant justice minister post after the previous nominee withdrew.
After Rep. Kim Seung-won stepped down from the justice minister nomination due to allegations of lobbying for a COVID-19 drug, President Lee Jae Myung is evaluating two alternative candidates. The contenders are Rep. Park Kyoon-taek and Rep. Yang Bu-nam, both first-term members of the Democratic Party representing the southwestern Honam area and former prosecutors. Park is part of a group urging the dismissal of criminal indictments against Lee, claiming they stem from politically motivated prosecutors.
Yang was appointed co-chief of the party's legal affairs committee in 2022 to handle Lee's legal challenges. A source at the presidential office says a formal nomination will be made shortly, as the administration balances the prolonged vacancy with public sentiment.
Why it matters
The choice will shape South Korea's justice policy and reflect the president's handling of legal controversies.
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