President Lee Nominates Lee Yongcheol for Justice Minister, Ahn Deoksu for NTS Chief; Choi Inho for Cheong Wa Dae Political Affairs Secretary

Lee Yongcheol, a MINBYUN veteran, tapped for major criminal justice reform
Cheong Wa Dae on Daejang-dong allegations: "Considered in vetting; he will explain at hearing"
HUG President Choi Inho, a 'pro-Roh, pro-Moon' figure, named to repla

President Lee Jae-myung on Nov. 6 nominated Lee Yongcheol, head of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, as a candidate for minister of justice and Ahn Deoksu, head of the Seoul Regional Tax Office, as a candidate for commissioner of the National Tax Service. Choi Inho, president of the Korea Housing & Urban Guarantee Corporation (HUG), was tapped to replace Hong Ik-pyo as senior presidential secretary for political affairs. The appointments are seen as an effort to strengthen the momentum behind government operations by selecting a reform-minded legal professional to lead the Ministry of Justice as it steers changes to the criminal justice system, while bolstering tax administration expertise and communication with the National Assembly.

Lim Gwang-hyeon, chief of staff to the president, announced the appointments at a Cheong Wa Dae briefing that afternoon. “These appointments reflect a commitment to listening more closely to the public and communicating with them, with a focus on ensuring that people can feel the benefits of policy changes in their daily lives,” Lim said.

Lee Yongcheol, the new nominee for Minister of Justice

The most closely watched appointment is that of Lee Yongcheol as a candidate for minister of justice. The selection of a reform-minded figure with both legal expertise and administrative experience comes as the government pursues a structural overhaul of the criminal justice system, including the abolition of the prosecution service and the separation of investigation and prosecution.

Born in Sunchang, North Jeolla Province, in 1960, Lee graduated from Jeonju Shinheung High School and Yonsei University’s Department of Law, and completed the 21st class of the Judicial Research and Training Institute. He worked with Lawyers for a Democratic Society (Minbyun), focusing on protecting human rights and promoting democratic values. Under the Participatory Government, he served as a senior secretary for civil affairs and a secretary for legal affairs at the Presidential Office, where he led institutional reforms to combat corruption. He later worked as a lawyer at the Saegil law firm before building administrative experience as head of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration.

Explaining the appointment, Lim said, “As a legal professional with diverse administrative experience, including structural reform, he is expected to swiftly establish the new criminal justice system and ensure fair legal administration in which no one is marginalized or treated unjustly.”

However, allegations raised in the past by the opposition that Lee was implicated in the Daejang-dong case are expected to become an issue at his confirmation hearing. Asked whether the allegations had been addressed during the vetting process, Lim said, “The matters you mentioned were taken into consideration during the vetting process, and we expect him to provide further details at the confirmation hearing.”

Ahn Deoksu, nominee for the new Commissioner of the National Tax Service

Ahn Deoksu, head of the Seoul Regional Tax Office and nominee for commissioner of the National Tax Service, is a career tax official with broad experience in audits, tax collection and taxpayer protection. Born in Busan in 1971, he graduated from Yongin High School and Korea University’s Department of Economics, and entered public service after passing the 40th Higher Civil Service Examination. He has held key positions at the National Tax Service, including taxpayer protection officer, director general of tax collection and legal affairs, and director general of investigation, before taking the helm of the Seoul Regional Tax Office.

Lim said Ahn is “expected to realize tax justice by pursuing malicious tax evasion and hidden assets to the end, so that people who pay their taxes faithfully are not disadvantaged.” The appointment is seen as reflecting an intention to ensure organizational stability by selecting an insider well versed in tax administration, while strengthening the response to chronic tax evasion and the concealment of assets.

Choi Inho, newly appointed Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs

Choi Inho, president of HUG and a two-term lawmaker representing Busan, was tapped as senior presidential secretary for political affairs. Born in Changnyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, in 1966, Choi graduated from Dongin High School and Pusan National University’s Department of Political Science and Diplomacy. During his 20th and 21st terms in the National Assembly, he served as a supreme council member and chief spokesperson for the Democratic Party, as well as secretary of the National Assembly’s Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee. He also served as secretary for domestic media in the public relations office at Cheong Wa Dae under the Participatory Government.

His experience in party leadership, the National Assembly and public-sector management, along with his previous service at Cheong Wa Dae, is seen as a factor behind his selection. He is expected to rebuild communication channels with the National Assembly amid tensions between the ruling and opposition parties and to help advance key reform legislation. Lim described Choi as “a politician who has put the values of communication and unity into practice,” adding, “We expect him to engage with the ruling and opposition parties and the public with humility, and to support politics that brings the public together for the sake of unity and growth in our society.”

Meanwhile, the replacement of the senior presidential secretary for political affairs leaves open the possibility of a broader reshuffle of Cheong Wa Dae staff. Asked about speculation that a mid- to large-scale reshuffle of secretaries may take place at year-end, Lim said, “Regarding personnel changes within Cheong Wa Dae, once we have reviewed the matter, we will make them at an appropriate time when necessary to ensure continuity in work, deliver the results of reform and make a difference that the public can feel.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.