DAPA Head Lee Yong-cheol Named Justice Minister; Choi In-ho Tapped as Senior Political Secretary

[Anchor]

Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) Minister Lee Yong-cheol has been surprise-nominated as the second justice minister candidate of the Lee Jae-myung administration. Ahn Deok-soo, current commissioner of the Seoul Regional Tax Office, was tapped to head the National Tax Service, while Choi In-ho, president of the Korea Housing and Urban Guarantee Corporation, was named senior presidential secretary for political affairs.

Kim Hye-min reports.

[Reporter]

President Lee Jae-myung has nominated Defense Acquisition Program Administration Minister Lee Yong-cheol as the candidate for justice minister.

Candidate Lee, a former member of Lawyers for a Democratic Society (Minbyun), previously served as second secretary for civil affairs and secretary for legal affairs in the Office of the Senior Presidential Secretary for Civil Affairs during the Roh Moo-hyun administration.

He is known to have a long-standing relationship with President Lee, having served as a member of his transition committee when President Lee was elected mayor of Seongnam.

[Lim Kwang-hyun / Presidential Chief of Staff: As a legal professional with diverse administrative experience, including structural reform, we expect him to swiftly establish the new criminal justice framework and implement fair judicial administration where no one is marginalized or treated unjustly.]

Suspicions were previously raised, primarily by the opposition, regarding candidate Lee's alleged involvement in the Daejang-dong scandal. The presidential office stated that this aspect was taken into account during the personnel vetting process and added that it expects him to explain the matter at his confirmation hearing.

Ahn Deok-soo, commissioner of the Seoul Regional Tax Office, was nominated as commissioner of the National Tax Service, filling the vacancy left after Lim Kwang-hyun was appointed presidential chief of staff.

Candidate Ahn previously served as director general of the Investigation Bureau and director general of the Tax Collection and Legal Affairs Bureau at the National Tax Service.

Following the resignation tendered by Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs Hong Ihk-pyo, Choi In-ho, president of the Korea Housing and Urban Guarantee Corporation and a former two-term lawmaker, was tapped as his successor.

Nominee Choi is a former two-term National Assembly member representing Busan and previously served as the party's chief spokesperson when Lee Nak-yon led the Democratic Party.

(Video by Jeong Sang-bo | Video Editing by Lee Seung-hee)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.