Yoon Suk Yeol facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Yoon Suk Yeol
윤석열
Official portrait, 2022
13th President of South Korea
In office 10 May 2022 – 4 April 2025
Preceded by	Moon Jae-in
Succeeded by	Han Duck-soo (acting) Lee Jae Myung
Prosecutor General of South Korea
In office 25 July 2019 – 4 March 2021
President	Moon Jae-in
Preceded by	Mun Mu-il
Succeeded by	Kim Oh-soo
Personal details
Born	(1960-12-18) 18 December 1960 (age 65) Seoul, South Korea
Political party	Independent (before 2021; since 2025)
Spouse	Kim Keon Hee ​ (m. 2012)​
Parent	Yoon Ki Joong (father)
Education	Seoul National University (LLB, LLM)
Occupation	Politician lawyer
Signature
Nickname	Gyong (굥)
Korean name
Hangul	윤석열
Hanja	尹錫悅
RR	Yun Seokyeol
MR	Yun Sŏgyŏl

Yoon Suk Yeol (born 18 December 1960) is a South Korean politician. He served as the 13th president of South Korea from 2022 until his removal from office in 2025. His time as president was the shortest for an elected leader in South Korea's democratic history. Before becoming president, Yoon was the prosecutor general of South Korea from 2019 to 2021. After his presidency ended, he faced legal processes related to his actions while in office.

Yoon was born in Seoul, South Korea. He studied law at Seoul National University. As a prosecutor, he investigated important cases involving former presidents and other public figures. In 2019, President Moon Jae-in appointed Yoon as Prosecutor General. He later resigned from this role in 2021.

Becoming President

Announcing His Candidacy

On 29 June 2021, Yoon announced he wanted to run for president in the 2022 South Korean presidential election. He joined the People Power Party (PPP) in July and became their chosen candidate in November.

Election Campaign

Yoon was seen as a conservative politician. He promised to make economic rules simpler and talked about issues like gender equality. He won the election by a very small number of votes on 9 March 2022, beating Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae Myung.

Taking Office

Yoon became president on 10 May 2022. He was the first elected president born after the end of fighting in the Korean War. During his time as president, he worked to improve relationships with Japan and the United States. He also took a firm stance on issues involving North Korea.

Time as President (2022–2025)

Moving the Presidential Office

On 20 March 2022, Yoon announced that the presidential office would move from the Blue House to the Ministry of National Defense building in Yongsan District, Seoul. The Blue House was then opened to the public as a park.

Economic Plans

Yoon's government focused on careful spending and encouraging private businesses. They aimed to make the economy stronger by supporting new technologies like semiconductors. They also tried to reduce taxes for businesses to help them grow.

In 2023, there was a discussion about changing the maximum weekly working hours. Yoon's government suggested increasing them, but after many people, especially young people, disagreed, the plan was reconsidered. The minimum wage for 2025 was set at 10,030 won per hour.

Energy Choices

After a nuclear accident in Japan, South Korea had planned to reduce its use of nuclear power. However, President Yoon changed this policy in 2023. His government decided to build more nuclear reactors and increase nuclear power's share of electricity production. This was part of a plan to reduce carbon emissions.

Social Policies

Yoon's government focused on individual social issues rather than broader gender topics. In May 2022, there were few women in high government positions. After some criticism, more women were appointed to ministerial roles.

Police Oversight Proposal

In July 2022, Yoon suggested creating a "police bureau" to give the government more oversight of the police. This idea led to protests from some police officers who worried it might affect their independence.

Seoul Crowd Crush

On 29 October 2022, a tragic crowd crush happened during Halloween celebrations in Seoul's Itaewon district, leading to many deaths. President Yoon declared a period of national mourning. His government's response to the event received some criticism.

Medical System Changes

In February 2024, Yoon's government announced plans to increase the number of medical students each year. This decision led to disagreements with some in the medical community, including doctors and medical students, who organized protests and resignations. The government stated this was a national healthcare crisis.

Parliamentary Elections in 2024

In the 2024 parliamentary elections, Yoon's party lost many seats. This made it harder for his government to pass laws and weakened his political power. After the election, several important government figures resigned.

International Relations

Yoon's government worked to strengthen South Korea's relationships with countries around the world.

United States and Japan

Yoon aimed for closer ties with the United States and Japan. He met with leaders from both countries to discuss cooperation on security and economic matters. In April 2023, he visited the U.S. to celebrate 70 years of alliance between the two nations. He also met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to discuss historical issues and future cooperation.

North Korea

Since Yoon became president, relations between South and North Korea became more tense. Yoon's government took a firm approach, focusing on denuclearization. In 2023, South Korea suspended a pact aimed at lowering tensions after North Korea launched a satellite. In 2024, Yoon spoke about a "unified Republic of Korea," suggesting a vision for the future of the Korean Peninsula.

Ukraine and Other Countries

Yoon's government also showed support for Ukraine following the invasion by Russia. South Korea provided financial aid to Ukraine. Yoon also visited Ukraine in July 2023. He worked to build stronger ties with countries in the Indo-Pacific region and Africa, hosting special summits with African leaders.

Public Opinion

During his presidency, Yoon's public approval ratings changed over time. They sometimes dropped due to various policy decisions and events. After a significant event in December 2024, his approval rating fell to a low point.

Removal from Office

Declaration of Martial Law

On 3 December 2024, President Yoon declared a special order known as martial law across South Korea. He stated this was to address challenges in the country. However, the National Assembly quickly held a vote and unanimously decided to end the martial law declaration just a few hours later.

Impeachment and Formal Removal

Following the martial law declaration, lawmakers in the National Assembly began a process to remove Yoon from office. On 14 December 2024, the National Assembly voted to suspend his presidential powers. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo temporarily took over his duties.

On 4 April 2025, the Constitutional Court of Korea made a final decision. All eight judges agreed to uphold the impeachment, which formally removed Yoon from office. This decision officially ended his presidency. An election to choose a new president took place on 3 June 2025.

Post-Presidency (2025–present)

After being removed from office, Yoon left the People Power Party on 17 May 2025. He endorsed Kim Moon-soo for the 2025 presidential election. He also made public appearances not related to his legal cases.

Yoon faced legal processes related to his actions while in office. On 19 February 2026, he was found responsible for leading an insurrection and was sentenced to life imprisonment. He also faced other legal challenges and was sentenced to 30 years imprisonment on 12 June 2026 for treason and abuse of power related to drone deployments.

Early Life and Education

Yoon in 1976 at age 16

Yoon was born in Bomun-dong, Seoul, in 1960. He grew up in Yeonhui-dong. His father, Yoon Ki Joong, was a professor of economics at Yonsei University. His mother, Choi Seong-ja, was a lecturer at Ewha Womans University.

Yoon attended Daegwang Elementary School and Chungam Middle School. He graduated from Chungam High School in 1979. He then studied law at Seoul National University, earning his bachelor's degree in 1983 and master's degree in 1988.

After the Gwangju Uprising in 1980, Yoon and his friends held a pretend trial. He acted as a prosecutor and asked for a strong punishment for President Chun Doo-hwan. Yoon passed the bar exam in 1991.

Connection with Kim Yong-hyun

In 1977, while in high school, Yoon met Kim Yong-hyun. Kim was a year older and led the Student Defense Corps. They reconnected years later through an alumni group.

They became close friends in 2020 when Yoon faced challenges in his prosecutor general role. Kim encouraged Yoon to consider running for president. This led to them forming a group called the Chungam Faction after Yoon became president.

Prosecutorial Career

Early Work

Yoon began his career at the Daegu Public Prosecutor's Office in 1994. He led departments that investigated cases involving public figures.

In 2002, Yoon briefly worked as a lawyer but returned to being a prosecutor. He investigated cases involving important political figures. In 2006, he apprehended Chung Mong-koo for issues at Hyundai Motor Company. In 2008, he worked on a team investigating the BBK incident related to President Lee Myung-bak.

In 2013, Yoon led a team investigating the National Intelligence Service (NIS). He sought to prosecute the former head of the NIS. He also accused Justice Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn of influencing his investigation. This led to him being moved to different prosecutor offices.

Yoon later became head of investigations for a special team. This team looked into allegations of the 2016 Choi Soon-sil scandal. This investigation led to the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye in December 2016.

On 19 May 2017, President Moon Jae-in appointed Yoon as chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. Under his leadership, the prosecution investigated two former presidents, Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye, and many other officials.

Prosecutor General

Yoon as Prosecutor General, in 2019

On 17 June 2019, Yoon was nominated as prosecutor general. He was officially appointed on 16 July and started his term nine days later. President Moon asked him to be fair and investigate any wrongdoing in the government.

During his time as prosecutor general, Yoon's office investigated Minister of Justice Cho Kuk. This investigation led to Cho's resignation. Yoon's decisions were supported by some but criticized by others.

Later, Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae took action against some prosecutors close to Yoon. This was seen by some as a response to Yoon's investigations. In April 2020, some lawmakers criticized Yoon after his office investigated election-related cases.

Suspension and Return

On 24 November 2020, Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae suspended Yoon from his position. She cited alleged ethical issues and interference in investigations. Yoon challenged this decision, and a court temporarily stopped the suspension. On 16 December, the Ministry of Justice imposed a two-month suspension on Yoon, which President Moon approved. However, on 24 December, a court overturned the suspension, saying the process was unfair.

Political Views

Yoon Suk Yeol (left) with PPP party leader Lee Jun-seok (right)

Yoon identifies as a "conservative" politician. Some have described his views as focusing on individual freedom. He has also been called a social conservative. His approach to politics and media led some to compare him to "K-Trumpism" or "far-right" views, though he and his supporters disagreed with these labels.

Economic Ideas

Yoon believes the government should not interfere too much in the economy. He is generally seen as supportive of businesses and careful with government spending. He has mentioned economist Milton Friedman as an influence on his belief in economic liberalism. He aimed to reduce reliance on China and make supply chains more stable.

Military and Defense

Yoon has expressed support for South Korea having its own nuclear weapons if there is a threat from North Korea. He also suggested that the United States should redeploy tactical nuclear weapons in South Korea. The U.S. had removed these weapons in the early 1990s. Yoon also indicated he would be open to more U.S. THAAD missile deployments.

Electoral History

Personal Life

Yoon has been married to Kim Keon Hee since 2012. His wife preferred to be called "president's spouse" instead of "first lady." Kim is the president of Covana Contents, a company that organizes art exhibitions. She faced public questions about her company and past work.

Yoon is a Catholic and was baptized with the Christian name "Ambrose". He is known to keep multiple pets, including dogs and cats. During his presidency, a law was passed in 2024 to outlaw the trade and consumption of dog meat in South Korea.

Honors

•  Poland: Knight of the Order of the White Eagle (13 July 2023)
•  Italy: Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (7 October 2023)
•  United States: Profile in Courage Award (29 October 2023)
•  United Kingdom: Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (21 November 2023)

See also

In Spanish: Yoon Suk-yeol para niños