Lee Nominates Head of Defense Procurement Agency as New Justice Minister

On November 6, 2026, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung announced the nomination of Lee Yong-cheol, the current head of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), as the new justice minister. This decision comes after the resignation of the previous justice minister, Jung Sung-ho, in late August.

In addition to Lee's appointment, Ahn Duk-su, who leads the National Tax Service's Seoul office, has been nominated to head the DAPA. Furthermore, Choi In-ho, president of the Korea Housing Urban Guarantee Corp., will serve as the secretary for political affairs.

The presidential chief of staff, Lim Kwang-hyun, emphasized that these personnel changes reflect Lee's commitment to enhancing communication with the public and implementing changes that will benefit citizens. The reshuffle is seen as a strategic move that may influence South Korea's defense and legal policies moving forward.

This nomination is expected to bring new perspectives to the justice ministry, especially given Lee Yong-cheol's background in defense procurement. Observers are keen to see how this will affect the government's approach to legal and defense matters in the coming months.