Career Timeline of Yoon Suk Yeol: Major Achievements and Milestones

Discover the career path of Yoon Suk Yeol, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Yoon Suk Yeol is a South Korean politician and former prosecutor. He served as the 13th president of South Korea from 2022 to 2025, following the Constitutional Court of Korea's confirmation of his impeachment by the National Assembly.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1991: Passing the Bar Exam

In 1991, Yoon Suk Yeol passed the bar exam, placing him in the same graduating class as Democratic Party Assemblyman and Minister of Justice Park Beom-kye.

1994: Start of Prosecutor Career

In 1994, Yoon Suk Yeol started his career at the Daegu Public Prosecutor's Office.

1999: Arrest of Assistant Commissioner

In 1999, Yoon Suk Yeol arrested Assistant Commissioner Park Hui-won for corruption, despite objections from bureaucrats in the Kim Dae-jung cabinet.

January 2002: Brief Stint as Lawyer

In January 2002, Yoon Suk Yeol briefly worked as a lawyer at Bae, Kim & Lee but left because he found the position unsuitable.

2006: Apprehension of Chung Mong-koo

In 2006, Yoon Suk Yeol apprehended Chung Mong-koo for his complicity in a slush fund case at Hyundai Motor Company.

2008: BBK Incident Investigation

In 2008, Yoon Suk Yeol worked for the independent counsel team resolving the BBK incident related to President Lee Myung-bak.

2012: NIS Public Opinion Manipulation Scandal

In 2013, Yoon Suk Yeol led a special investigation team that looked into the National Intelligence Service (NIS)'s involvement in the 2012 NIS public opinion manipulation scandal.

2013: Investigation into NIS Public Opinion Manipulation

In 2013, Yoon Suk Yeol led a special investigation team that looked into the National Intelligence Service (NIS)'s involvement in the 2012 NIS public opinion manipulation scandal. He sought the prosecution of Won Sei-hoon and accused Justice Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn of influencing his investigation, resulting in his demotion.

December 2016: Choi Soon-sil Scandal Investigation

In December 2016, Yoon Suk Yeol was head of investigations in the special prosecutor team of Park Young-soo, investigating the Choi Soon-sil scandal, which led to the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye.

May 2017: Appointment as Chief of Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office

In May 2017, Yoon Suk Yeol was appointed as chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office by President Moon Jae-in. During his tenure, the prosecution indicted former presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye and more than 100 other former officials and business executives.

June 2019: Nomination as Prosecutor General

On June 17, 2019, Yoon Suk Yeol was nominated as Prosecutor General, replacing Moon Moo-il. On July 16, he was officially appointed and started his term nine days later.

2019: Appointment as Prosecutor General

In 2019, Moon Jae-in appointed Yoon Suk Yeol as the Prosecutor General of South Korea. During his tenure, the Supreme Prosecutor's Office investigated Cho Kuk, leading to his resignation as Minister of Justice. Yoon's clashes with the Moon administration led to his rise as a potential presidential candidate among conservative voters.

January 2020: Emergence as Potential Presidential Candidate

Ever since the aftermath of the Cho Kuk controversies, Yoon Suk Yeol had been considered a potential presidential candidate for the 2022 presidential election, appearing as a significant candidate in general election opinion polls since at least January 2020.

January 2021: Leading Presidential Candidate

In a January 2021 poll including all possible presidential candidates, Yoon Suk Yeol led as the most favored with 30.4 percent of the vote.

March 2021: Resignation as Prosecutor General

In March 2021, Yoon Suk Yeol resigned as Prosecutor General, which boosted his profile as a potential presidential candidate among conservative voters due to his clashes with the Moon administration.

June 2021: Presidential Candidacy Announcement

In June 2021, Yoon Suk Yeol announced his candidacy for the 2022 South Korean presidential election.

June 2021: Official Announcement of Presidential Candidacy

In June 2021, Yoon Suk Yeol officially announced his candidacy in the 2022 presidential election.

July 2021: Joining the People Power Party

On July 30, 2021, Yoon Suk Yeol officially joined the conservative People Power Party (PPP).

October 2021: Remarks about Chun Doo-hwan and Subsequent Apology

In October 2021, Yoon made complimentary remarks about former South Korean dictator Chun Doo-hwan, leading to criticism and an initial apology. A controversial Instagram post featuring an apple, a Korean homonym for "apology", led to speculation about the sincerity of his apology, which he later denied. He again apologized in November at the May 18th National Cemetery in Gwangju.

November 2021: People Power Party Nomination Win

On 5 November 2021, Yoon officially won the nomination of the People Power Party for the 2022 presidential election with 47.85% of the votes after a four-day period of voting by party members and the general public.

November 2021: Pardon Promise for Former Presidents

On 7 November 2021, Yoon stated that if elected president, he would pardon former presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye, who were serving prison sentences for corruption.

March 2022: Presidential Election Victory

In March 2022, Yoon Suk Yeol narrowly defeated Lee Jae-myung in the South Korean presidential election.

March 2022: Announcement of Presidential Office Relocation

On 20 March 2022, Yoon announced his decision to establish his presidential office in the Ministry of National Defense building in Yongsan District, Seoul, instead of the Blue House.

May 2022: Inauguration and Blue House Opening

In May 2022, Yoon took office as president. The Blue House was opened to the public as a park on 10 May 2022.

December 2022: Announcement of the Indo-Pacific Strategy

In December 2022, the Yoon administration announced the Indo-Pacific Strategy, encompassing the economic and security spheres of Indo-Pacific countries.

2022: Presidential Candidate

April 2023: Visit to the United States

In April 2023, Yoon and First Lady Kim Keon-hee visited Washington D.C. to mark 70 years of the alliance between South Korea and the United States. Yoon addressed the U.S. Congress on 27 April, emphasizing the strong relationship between the two countries.

May 2023: Attendance at G7 Summit

At the G7 summit in May 2023, Yoon met with the leaders of the Quad nations, calling for addressing regional challenges and providing infrastructure and development assistance and stressed South Korea's commitment to maintaining the international rule of law and protecting Ukraine's freedom and peace.

August 2023: Financial Aid to Ukraine Announced

In August 2023, Yoon announced that South Korea would provide $394 million in financial aid to Ukraine for 2024, an eightfold increase from 2023.

October 2023: Condemnation of Hamas Attack on Israel

In October 2023, Yoon condemned the Hamas-led attack on Israel.

December 2023: Trips to Twenty-Six Countries

As of December 2023, Yoon has made trips to twenty-six countries during his tenure, meeting with fellow leaders at summits such as the NATO Summit Madrid 2022, APEC Summit, G20, and G7.

February 2024: Expanded Defense Cooperation with Saudi Arabia

In February 2024, South Korea and Saudi Arabia signed a memorandum of understanding to expand defense cooperation.

July 2024: Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Wins Czech Republic Tender

On 17 July 2024, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power won the tender for the construction of two new units at Dukovany Nuclear Power Station in the Czech Republic. Yoon stated this would expand export opportunities for the nuclear industry.

November 2024: Phone Call with Donald Trump

According to a Yonhap article published on 7 November 2024, Yoon had a 12-minute phone call with Donald Trump, where they talked about trilateral cooperation with the U.S. and Japan, as well as the North Korean situation involving Ukraine.

2024: Financial Aid to Ukraine

In 2024, South Korea will provide $394 million in financial aid to Ukraine, an eightfold increase from 2023, announced in August 2023 by Yoon.

2024: Hosting International Summits

In 2024, Yoon held the South Korea-Africa Summit for the first time and has also been promoting the Korea-Central Asia Summit.

2024: Opposition's Victory in Parliamentary Elections

In the 2024 parliamentary elections, the opposition won a landslide victory. The PPP obtained 108 seats, while the DPK won 175 seats, putting Yoon in a weaker political position.

April 2025: Impeachment Confirmation and End of Presidency

On April 4, 2025, the Constitutional Court of Korea confirmed the impeachment against Yoon Suk Yeol by the National Assembly, officially terminating his presidency.