President Lee mulls picking justice minister nominee from 2 prosecutor-turned-lawmakers

President Lee Jae Myung is considering Rep. Park Kyoon-taek or Rep. Yang Bu-nam for justice minister after Kim Seung-won withdrew his candidacy last month amid lobbying allegations. A presidential office source said an official nomination is expected soon. The post has been vacant for two months, and Lee is weighing public sentiment as he reviews the choice.

Park and Yang are first-term Democratic Party of Korea lawmakers from the party’s stronghold in the southwestern Honam region.

Both candidates previously served as prosecutors.

Park is among DPK lawmakers calling for Lee’s criminal indictments to be dropped, arguing they were brought by politically motivated prosecutors.

Yang became a co-chief of the DPK’s legal affairs committee in 2022, when Lee led the party, and managed Lee’s legal issues.

Published Oct 25, 2026 10:17 am KST

This composite file photo shows Rep. Park Kyoon-taek, left, and Rep. Yang Bu-nam of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea. Yonhap

President Lee Jae Myung is mulling over selecting a justice minister nominee from between two prosecutor-turned-lawmakers after his previous pick for the post withdrew his candidacy last month over lobbying allegations, a source at the presidential office said Sunday.

Rep. Park Kyoon-taek and Rep. Yang Bu-nam of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) are the candidates that Lee is reviewing for justice minister, a source at Cheong Wa Dae told Yonhap News Agency.

"After a lengthy deliberation, Lee is reviewing the choice between Park and Yang. An official nomination is expected to be made soon," the source said.

In a Cabinet reshuffle in late August, Lee nominated Rep. Kim Seung-won of the DPK to lead the justice ministry. A parliamentary confirmation hearing was held last month, but Kim withdrew his candidacy amid controversy over various allegations, including lobbying for a COVID-19 treatment drug.

Amid a two-month vacancy in the justice minister post, Lee is believed to be carefully reviewing the nomination while considering public sentiment.

Park and Yang, both first-term lawmakers in the DPK's stronghold in the southwestern Honam region, formerly served as prosecutors.

Park is among a group of DPK lawmakers calling for dropping Lee's criminal indictments, claiming they were brought by politically motivated prosecutors.

Yang was appointed a co-chief of the party's legal affairs committee in 2022, when Lee was the head of the DPK, to manage Lee's legal issues.

继金承元上月因游说指控退出法务部长官竞选后，李在明总统正在考虑提名朴均泽议员或杨富南议员。总统府消息人士称，预计很快将正式提名。该职位已空缺两个月，李在明在考虑人选时正权衡民意。

朴槿惠和杨阳是来自韩国民主党在西南湖南地区的大本营的首届国会议员。

两位候选人此前都曾担任过检察官。

朴槿惠是呼吁撤销对李光耀刑事指控的民主党议员之一，他们认为这些指控是由出于政治动机的检察官提出的。

2022年，李在镕担任民主党主席时，杨成为民主党法律事务委员会的联席主任，负责处理李在镕的法律事务。

发布于2026年10月25日上午10:17（韩国标准时间）

这张合成照片显示的是韩国执政党共同民主党的议员朴均泽（左）和杨富南。（韩联社）

总统府一位消息人士周日表示，李在明总统正在考虑从两名检察官出身的议员中选出司法部长人选。此前，他提名的司法部长人选因涉嫌游说活动于上个月撤回了候选资格。

据韩联社报道，青瓦台一位消息人士透露，执政党共同民主党的朴均泽议员和杨富南议员是李在镕正在考虑的法务部长官候选人。

消息人士称：“经过长时间的深思熟虑，李在镕正在重新考虑朴槿惠和杨安泽之间的人选。预计很快就会正式提名。”

8月下旬的内阁改组中，李明博提名民主党议员金承元出任法务部长。上个月举行了国会确认听证会，但金承元因包括游说购买新冠肺炎治疗药物在内的多项指控而撤回了提名。

在司法部长职位空缺两个月之际，据信李显龙正在认真审查提名人选，同时也会考虑公众舆论。

朴正熙和杨正熙都是来自朝鲜民主主义人民党在西南湖南地区的大本营的首任国会议员，两人此前都曾担任检察官。

朴槿惠是呼吁撤销对李光耀刑事指控的民主党议员之一，他们声称这些指控是由出于政治动机的检察官提出的。

2022年，李在镕担任民主党主席时，杨被任命为民主党法律事务委员会联席主任，负责处理李在镕的法律问题。