(profile) Prosecutorial reform advocate tapped as new justice minister

SEOUL, Aug. 30 (Yonhap) -- Rep. Kim Seung-won, a member of South Korea's ruling Democratic Party, has been nominated as the new justice minister. A 57-year-old two-term lawmaker, Kim is renowned for his advocacy of prosecutorial reform and played a pivotal role in the passage of a recent reform bill. After passing the national bar exam in 1996, Kim served as a judge at the Jeonju District Court and the Suwon District Court.

Subsequently, he joined the presidential office under the Moon Jae-in administration, working in the office of political affairs. As a representative for the Democratic Party in the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee since his election in 2020, Kim has been at the forefront of the party's prosecutorial reform initiatives.

He also served as the party's floor spokesperson on the aforementioned committee. Notably, Kim played a crucial role in passing the revision to the Criminal Procedure Act, which separates the prosecution's investigative and indictment powers, and strips prosecutors of their authority to direct and supervise supplementary investigations, transferring those responsibilities solely to the police.

Kim is anticipated to lead efforts to solidify the establishment of the new criminal justice system.