KOR

Yoon Suk Yeol

President of the Republic of
Korea

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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

Education

~1988.

MA in Law, School of Law, Seoul National University

~1983.

BA in Law, Department of Law, Seoul National University

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