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Profile

Yoon Suk Yeol

President of the Republic of Korea

Profile

Yoon Suk Yeol (born December 18, 1960) is the President of the Republic of Korea.
He is a former public prosecutor who served as Prosecutor General from 2019 to 2021. Throughout his career, he was
well-known for his skill and success in tackling high-profile corruption cases. Yoon was elected President on March 9,
2022, in the 20th Presidential Election as the candidate of the People Power Party (PPP). On May 10, Yoon was
inaugurated as the President of the Republic of Korea.

After serving 2 years as Chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, Yoon was appointed Prosecutor
General on July 16, 2019. From August 2019, he launched investigations into corruption and political scandals of key
members of incumbent administration. Due to the political tensions with the administration, Yoon resigned as
Prosecutor General in March 2021 and entered politics in June the same year. This decision was primarily driven by
his strong conviction that Korea needed to correct its course; this sentiment was also evident in opinion polls
showing how the people desperately wanted Yoon to run for the Presidency.

Yoon firmly believes in working closely with Korea's allies and partners and the need to uphold universal values such
as human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Such conviction was what led to his eventual win in the hotly-
contested party primary in November 2021. During his presidential campaign, he promised ‘unity among all Koreans’
and to always be open to the people’s voices. He also pledged to cooperate with those across the aisle to achieve
tangible progress that would benefit all Koreans. Yoon also strongly believes that Korea has a responsibility to the
international community.

Yoon was born in Seoul in 1960. He studied law at Seoul National University and earned a Master’s degree in law from
Seoul National University in 1988. Around the Gwangju Uprising in 1980, he and his college friends held a mock trial,
where he played the role of a prosecutor and demanded life imprisonment for Chun Doo-hwan, who was ruling the
country at the time as an unelected military dictator. It was an early display of the fierce independence and
principled nature of his character.

After passing the Bar exam in 1991, Mr. Yoon began his career as a prosecutor at the Daegu Public Prosecutors' Office
in 1994. And for over 26 years, he dedicated himself to combating corruption.

Career

2022

  • 2022.05~

    20th President of the Republic of Korea

  • 2022.03

    20th President-elect of the Republic of Korea

  • 2021.11

    Presidential candidate of the People Power Party for the 20th Presidency

  • 2021.07

    Primary election candidate, People Power Party’s nomination for the 20th Presidency

2010 ~ 2019

  • 2019. 07 ~ 2021. 03

    Prosecutor General, Supreme Prosecutors’ Office

  • 2017. 05 ~ 2019. 07

    59th Chief Prosecutor, Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office

  • 2016. 12 ~ 2017. 05

    Dispatched to Special Prosecutor’s Office to investigate influence peddling committed by
    those linked to former President Park Geun-hye, including her confidant Choi Soon-sil

  • 2016. 01 ~ 2016. 12

    Prosecutor, Daejeon High Prosecutors’ Office

  • 2014. 01 ~ 2016. 01

    Prosecutor, Daegu High Prosecutors’ Office

  • 2013. 04 ~ 2014. 01

    Chief Prosecutor, Yeoju Branch, Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office

  • 2012. 07 ~ 2013. 04

    Chief Prosecutor, 1st Special Investigation Department, Seoul Central District
    Prosecutors’ Office

  • 2011. 09 ~ 2012. 07

    Chief Prosecutor, Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office& Chief of 1st Central
    Investigation Division, Supreme Prosecutors’ Office (concurrently)

  • 2010. 08 ~ 2011. 09

    Chief Prosecutor, Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office & Chief of 2nd Central
    Investigation Division, Supreme Prosecutors’ Office (concurrently)

2001 ~ 2009

  • 2009. 08 ~ 2010. 08

    2nd Criminal Intelligence Officer, Supreme Prosecutors’ Office

  • 2009. 01 ~ 2009. 08

    Chief Prosecutor, Special Investigation Department, Daegu District Prosecutors’ Office

  • 2008. 03 ~ 2009. 01

    Chief Prosecutor, Nonsan Branch, Daejeon District Prosecutors’Office

  • 2008. 01 ~ 2008. 03

    Dispatched to Special Prosecutor’s Office to investigate crimes allegedly committed by
    the Grand National Party’s presidential candidate

  • 2007. 03 ~ 2008. 01

    Prosecution Research Officer, Supreme Prosecutors’ Office

  • 2005. 02 ~ 2007. 03

    Prosecutor, Goyang Branch, Uijeongbu District Prosecutors’ Office

  • 2003. 02 ~ 2005. 02

    Prosecutor, Gwangju District Prosecutors’ Office

  • 2002. 01 ~ 2003. 02

    Attorney, Bae, Kim & Lee LLC

  • 2001. 08 ~ 2002. 01

    Prosecutor, Busan District Prosecutors’ Office

1991 ~ 1999

  • 1999. 03 ~ 2001. 08

    Prosecutor, Seoul District Prosecutors’ Office

  • 1997. 03 ~ 1999. 02

    Prosecutor, Seongnam Branch, Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office

  • 1996. 03 ~ 1997. 02

    Prosecutor, Gangneung Branch, Chuncheon District Prosecutors’ Office

  • 1994. 03 ~ 1996. 02

    Prosecutor, Daegu District Prosecutors’ Office

  • 1994. 02

    Graduated from 23rd Class of Judicial Research & Training Institute

  • 1991.

    Passed 33rd Bar Examination

Education

  • ~1988.

    MA in Law, School of Law, Seoul National University

  • ~1983.

    BA in Law, Department of Law, Seoul National University