Jung Hong-won (; born 9 October 1944) is a South Korean politician who served as the

prime minister of South Korea The prime minister of the Republic of Korea () is the deputy head of government and the second highest political office of South Korea. The prime minister is appointed by the president of the Republic of Korea, with the National Assembly's appro ...

from 2013 to 2015 under President

Park Geun-hye Park Geun-hye (; ; born 2 February 1952) is a South Korean politician who served as the 11th president of South Korea from 2013 until Impeachment of Park Geun-hye, she was removed from office in 2017. Park was the first and to date only woman ...

. Jung is a former member of the Saenuri Party.

Early life and education

Jung graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (undergraduate) from Sungkyunkwan University. After passing the Judicial Examination, he became a prosecutor.

Career

Jung became known after solving several high-profile cases, such as the Lee-Chang scandal, in which relatives of President

Chun Doo-hwan Chun Doo-hwan (; 18 January 1931 – 23 November 2021) was a South Korean politician, army general and military dictator who served as the fifth president of South Korea from 1980 to 1988. Prior to his accession to the presidency, he was the cou ...

were prosecuted, and the Walker Hill Casino scandal. Jung resigned from his job as a prosecutor in 2003 and then served the president of the . From 2004 to 2006, he served as the Standing Commissioner of the Republic of Korea National Election Commission. From 2008 to 2011, he served as the president of . Before the 2012 general election, he entered the Saenuri Party. On 8 February 2013, he was nominated as the first Prime Minister of President-elect

's government. On 26 February 2013, after the

National Assembly of South Korea The National Assembly of the Republic of Korea () is the unicameral national legislature of South Korea. Elections to the National Assembly are held every four years. The latest legislative elections were held on 10 April 2024. The current Na ...

confirmed his nomination, he was formally sworn in. On 27 April 2014, he tendered his prime ministership resignation to the president following the Sinking of the MV ''Sewol'' on 16 April 2014, during which more than 300 people were killed. President Park accepted the resignation in principle, but Jung continued to lead the Cabinet after the search and rescue operations of the Sewol came to an end. Few were nominated to replace Jung, including Ahn Dae-hee, but none of them were able to replace him. Jung was formally replaced as prime minister on 16 February 2015.(LEAD) Parliament endorses PM nominee
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References

1944 births Government ministers of South Korea South Korean prosecutors Living people Prime ministers of South Korea 20th-century South Korean lawyers Sungkyunkwan University alumni 21st-century South Korean lawyers {{SouthKorea-politician-stub