The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Luxury brands continue hiking prices in Korea

  • 3

    China flags consequences of Yoon's stronger coupling with US, Japan

  • 5

    BTS producer encourages anticipation for future messages from group

  • 7

    From hip-hop idols to global superstars, BTS shatters records over decade

  • 9

    Pyongyang as lived experience: existentialism and identity in North Korea

  • 11

    US, China trade blame as hopes for military dialogue fade

  • 13

    Defense chiefs of S. Korea, US, Japan to meet in Singapore amid NK threats

  • 15

    Reasons to talk about North Korea

  • 17

    S. Korea, US agree on joint probe into NK 'space rocket' debris once salvaged: Seoul official

  • 19

    Zelenskyy says Ukraine ready to launch counteroffensive

  • 2

    India train crash kills over 280, injures 900 in one of nation's worst rail disasters

  • 4

    INTERVIEW'One Day Off' star Lee Na-young, director on creating subtle, feel-good series

  • 6

    Napoli's Kim Min-jae named Serie A's best defender, makes Team of the Season

  • 8

    Wall Street leaps, nearly escapes its bear market after strong jobs report

  • 10

    'The Roundup: No Way Out' tops 3 mil. admissions

  • 12

    UN official calls out Security Council for inaction on N. Korea

  • 14

    House lawmakers urge US to rally allies over China's Micron ban

  • 16

    PHOTOSTrain collision in India

  • 18

    US, Japan, S. Korea aim to share NK missile warning data

  • 20

    EU's top diplomat discusses Ukraine's ammunition needs with S. Korea

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Mon, June 5, 2023 | 05:36
Politics
Uncompromising prosecutor emerges as hope of conservatives
Posted : 2021-11-05 15:35
Updated : 2021-11-05 15:35
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl / Yonhap
Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl / Yonhap

Yoon Seok-youl is a former prosecutor who was best known for standing up to power before a series of high-profile clashes with the Moon Jae-in administration launched him into politics and landed him the presidential nomination of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) on Friday.

The 60-year-old is a newcomer to the conservative party and has little to show for political experience or alignment with the party's core tenets and values.

If anything, the former prosecutor general has been accused of playing a key role in undermining the legitimacy of the previous conservative government of President Park Geun-hye and exposing its corruption, leading to her impeachment and imprisonment.

In 2013, Yoon conducted an investigation into sensational allegations that the country's main spy agency, the National Intelligence Service, had some of its employees post comments online ahead of the December 2012 presidential election in an attempt to sway public opinion in favor of then ruling party candidate Park.

The probe raised the ire of the Park administration. Later in 2013, Yoon made the bombshell revelation that he received undue pressure from outside during the course of the investigation. The investigation ultimately led to Yoon's demotion.

He famously said at the time: "I do not show allegiance to people."

Despite the setback, Yoon made a comeback in 2016 as a lead prosecutor investigating a massive corruption scandal implicating then President Park.

Park was impeached amid the probe, and the conservatives lost the next presidential election in May 2017 to now President Moon Jae-in, a liberal beacon.

Yoon's career took off under Moon, first as chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office and then as prosecutor general in July 2019.

Moon's request to Yoon was that he be "strict to living powers also."

But the two men's amicable relationship took a downturn when the prosecution under Yoon launched a corruption investigation into Cho Kuk, Moon's close aide and pick for justice minister.

The most damning of the allegations against Cho was that his wife had forged and obtained false certificates to help their daughter gain admission to a medical school.

Main opposition candidate Yoon Seok-youl pledges 'fight against populist'
Main opposition candidate Yoon Seok-youl pledges 'fight against populist'
2021-11-05 18:02  |  Politics
Former top prosecutor wins presidential nomination of main opposition party
Former top prosecutor wins presidential nomination of main opposition party
2021-11-05 15:07  |  Politics

In one of the defining moments of Moon's presidency, tens of thousands of people took to the streets in protest or support of Cho.

Cho resigned shortly after his appointment, dealing a serious blow to the standing of Moon and his administration. By the same token, Yoon emerged as a darling of the conservative bloc.

Tensions between Yoon and the Moon administration escalated further with the appointment of Cho's successor Choo Mi-ae, who aggressively pushed the president's agenda for prosecution reform.

Yoon opposed the president's plans to weaken the prosecution's investigative powers, and his defiance of Choo's orders set him up for the justice ministry's unprecedented decision in December 2020 to suspend the prosecutor general from duty for two months.

Yoon was reinstated days later through a court injunction, but he ultimately resigned in March with four months left of his two-year tenure.

Meanwhile, the "Choo-Yoon feud" solidified Yoon's standing as a potential presidential candidate on the conservative ticket, and the absence of a credible alternative landed him atop opinion polls asking the public to pick the next leader.

Yoon entered a period of soul-searching and resurfaced in June to announce his presidential bid, becoming the first person to transition directly from chief prosecutor to a leading presidential candidate.

He said the decision was a response to the public's yearning for a change of government. Moreover, he lambasted the Moon administration for fomenting division and destroying the country's foundation by abandoning common sense, fairness and the rule of law.

In July, Yoon joined the PPP.

Yoon's campaign pledges, especially those on foreign policy, are in line with conservative views, some of them far-right, including a promise to ask the United States to redeploy tactical nuclear weapons or agree to a nuclear-sharing deal if South Korea's security is threatened by North Korea's nuclear and missile programs.

He also pledged to conduct regular South Korea-U.S. exercises to practice nuclear force deployment, raising questions about his commitment to denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula.

On relations with China, Yoon said he would continue dialogue on the basis of mutual respect, peace and prosperity, common interests and a separation of politics and business. With Japan, he promised to seek a comprehensive solution to disputes over history and trade by activating high-level and summit diplomacy.

Yoon's No. 1 campaign pledge in policy focused on real estate issues, a key weakness of the Moon administration. Yoon said his aim is to improve the living conditions of all citizens by first supplying 300,000 units of housing for young people within five years.

Outside of policy issues, he was prone to making gaffes and careless remarks, such as when he displayed the Chinese character for "king" on his palm or claimed many praised the political leadership of former dictator Chun Doo-hwan, except for his staging of a military coup and bloody crackdown on democracy activists.

Moreover, Yoon faced accusations of past political meddling while his wife and mother-in-law ran into legal trouble over suspicions of stock manipulation and fraud.

Yoon studied law at Seoul National University and passed the bar in 1991 on his ninth try. He was born in Seoul to parents who taught at universities. (Yonhap)



 
wooribank
Top 10 Stories
1[LIFE'S OLLE TRAILS 1] How hiking Jeju's 437km of trails changed my life LIFE'S OLLE TRAILS 1How hiking Jeju's 437km of trails changed my life
2Election watchdog under fire for refusing to accept inspection Election watchdog under fire for refusing to accept inspection
3Korea denies discussion with EU on sending ammunition to Ukraine Korea denies discussion with EU on sending ammunition to Ukraine
4Concerns rise over Samsung SDS' growing intra-group transactionsConcerns rise over Samsung SDS' growing intra-group transactions
5S. Korea, Japan agree to prevent recurrence of radar disputeS. Korea, Japan agree to prevent recurrence of radar dispute
6K-food transforms global culinary industry K-food transforms global culinary industry
7Korean bio firms to seek new opportunities at int'l convention in BostonKorean bio firms to seek new opportunities at int'l convention in Boston
8Shipbuilding stocks rally over hope for 'super cycle' Shipbuilding stocks rally over hope for 'super cycle'
9Korea sees record-high number of flu patients for late spring Korea sees record-high number of flu patients for late spring
10Public welcomed to rediscover newly demilitarized land in Yongsan Children's Garden Public welcomed to rediscover newly demilitarized land in Yongsan Children's Garden
Top 5 Entertainment News
1Baritone Kim Tae-han wins Queen Elisabeth Competition Baritone Kim Tae-han wins Queen Elisabeth Competition
2Busan Film Festival accepts director Huh Moon-yung's resignation Busan Film Festival accepts director Huh Moon-yung's resignation
3[INTERVIEW] 'One Day Off' star Lee Na-young, director on creating subtle, feel-good series INTERVIEW'One Day Off' star Lee Na-young, director on creating subtle, feel-good series
4'HyeMiLeeYeChaePa' producer Lee Tae-kyung hopeful of second season 'HyeMiLeeYeChaePa' producer Lee Tae-kyung hopeful of second season
5How artist Michael Rakowitz resurrects lost past of Iraq through food packaging How artist Michael Rakowitz resurrects lost past of Iraq through food packaging
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group