(profile) Justice minister nominee versatile in legal, defense fields

SEOUL, Nov. 6 (Yonhap) -- Justice Minister nominee Lee Yong-cheol is a former lawyer with decades of administrative experience in both the legal and defense fields.

A graduate of Yonsei University's law department, Lee passed the bar exam in 1989 and worked as a lawyer before entering the presidential office as a secretary for civil affairs and then as a secretary for legal affairs under former President Roh Moo-hyun.

During his stint as legal affairs secretary, Lee was tasked with implementing reforms in the prosecution, police and the National Intelligence Service.

In 2006, he led preparations for the launch of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), the state defense procurement agency, as deputy chief of a preparatory committee.

After a brief term as deputy chief of DAPA, Lee returned to his legal practice, during which he worked for the same law firm as now President Lee Jae Myung.

The nominee went on to serve on Lee's transition committee after Lee was elected mayor of Seongnam, a city just south of Seoul.

Following the launch of the Lee administration, the nominee was appointed as head of DAPA in November last year and has served in the position since.