Justice minister accepts invitation to become conservative party's interim leader

In his first public comments since accepting the post, Han said that he wants to “help the country’s future by standing on the side of ordinary people and the socially disadvantaged.”

Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon attends a meeting of the parliamentary Judiciary Committee at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Tuesday. [YONHAP]

Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon on Thursday accepted the conservative People Power Party's (PPP) proposal to take over as the party's interim leader, heeding calls to help reform and steer the party ahead of the general election.

Han formally stepped down from his position as justice minister at 5 p.m. on Thursday in a farewell ceremony held at the ministry hours after President Yoon Suk Yeol had accepted his resignation, according to the presidential office.

In his first public comments since accepting the post, Han said that he hopes to “help the country’s future by standing on the side of ordinary people and the socially disadvantaged” as he left the ministry.

In his official announcement of Han’s leadership nomination at a press briefing on Thursday, PPP floor leader Rep. Yun Jae-ok described the justice minister as the “youngest and freshest” candidate for the job.

Yun expressed his confidence that Han would “meet the expectations of people yearning for change, innovation and the future” ahead of next year's general election.

Yun also noted that the Han is the frontrunner in opinion surveys regarding who should lead the PPP and is also popular among younger voters and centrists.

“We anticipate [Han] will promote unity among party members and conservatives who desperately seek to win in the general election,” he said.

Other PPP members also expressed support for Han’s nomination.

“Han’s solid reputation and his ability to speak clearly and concisely has contributed to his popularity among voters of all ages,” PPP Rep. Yoo Sang-bum said in a Tuesday radio interview.

Han is due to assume leadership of the PPP’s emergency steering committee after his nomination is approved by the party’s national committee, which will likely be convened on Tuesday.

Han is responsible for selecting 12 out 15 emergency committee members, who are likely to be seated before the end of next week.

“Starting in the new year, new leadership will lead the party,” Yun said.

Before being appointed justice minister in May last year, Han worked on several high-profile investigations against former presidents Park Geun-hye and Lee Myung-bak, as well as former Justice Minister Cho Kuk and his family.

Han’s nomination marks the culmination of deliberations within the PPP to mull candidates to lead the party after Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon stepped down amid mounting pressure for party reform.

Before his resignation, Kim and other PPP heavyweights faced heavy pressure to bring in new faces and give up safe seats to run in constituencies that traditionally lean toward the rival Democratic Party (DP).

Han’s detractors within the PPP and the DP have argued that the PPP under his leadership would become too closely aligned with the Yoon administration to function as an independent party.

Han has previously pushed back against such concerns, telling reporters earlier in the week that he has “never blindly obeyed anyone and will not do so in the future.”

Han is widely considered President Yoon’s protégé, having worked under the president in several prosecutorial investigations when Yoon himself was a high-ranking prosecutor.

Han earned his bachelor’s degree in law from Seoul National University and passed the Korean bar exam in 1995. He also earned a master of laws degree from Columbia University in 2005.

BY MICHAEL LEE [lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr]