Chun Jae-soo
Chun Jae-soo | |
|---|---|
Chun in 2026 | |
| Mayor-elect of Busan | |
| Assuming office 1 July 2026 | |
| Succeeding | Park Heong-joon |
| Minister of Oceans and Fisheries | |
| In office July 2025 – 11 December 2025 | |
| President | Lee Jae-myung |
| Preceded by | Kang Do-hyung |
| Succeeded by | Hwang Jong-woo |
| Member of the National Assembly | |
| In office 30 May 2016 – June 2025 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 1971 (age 55) Uiryeong County, South Korea |
| Party | Democratic Party of Korea |
Other political affiliations | Democratic United Party |
| Dongguk University | |
Chun Jae-soo (Korean: 전재수; born 1971) is a South Korean politician who is the mayor-elect of Busan. A member of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), he served as a member of the National Assembly from 2016 to 2025 and as the minister of oceans and fisheries in 2025.
Biography
Chun was born in April 1971 in Uiryeong County. He gained a bachelor's and master's degrees from Dongguk University.[1]
Chun was Chief Secretary of the Second Presidential Secretariat. Chun unsuccessfully attempted to be elected to the National Assembly in the 18th and 19th general elections as a member of the Democratic United Party, but was elected to the National Assembly in the 20th National Assembly as a member of the Democratic Party of Korea.[1] Chun served three terms in the National Assembly. Chun was nominated to become the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries in June 2025.[2]
Chun resigned from the ministry due to allegations regarding Chun receiving illegal payments from the Unification Church on 11 December 2025.[3] According to Yun Young-ho, the former head of the Unification Church's global headquarters, Chun was alleged to have received 20 million won and a luxury watch in 2018 and another watch and more won in 2020 in exchange for help getting approval for an undersea tunnel between South Korea and Japan.[4][5] Police questioned him for more than 14 hours.[5] A task force of prosecution and police officials refused to prosecute Chun due to a lack of evidence.[6] The task force indicted 4 of Chun's aides for destroying evidence.[7]
Chun became the Democratic Party of Korea's candidate for the mayor of Busan on 9 April 2026.[8] He won the mayoral election on 4 June, defeating the People Power Party nominee and incumbent mayor Park Heong-joon.[9][10]
References
- ^ a b "Jun Jae-soo". Korea Who. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
- ^ Kim, Na-young (23 June 2025). "(profile) 3-term lawmaker tapped to become new oceans minister". Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 3 June 2025.
- ^ "South Korea minister resigns amid allegations of Unification Church payments". Reuters. Archived from the original on 12 December 2025. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
- ^ Lee, Haye-ah. "Oceans minister offers to resign amid allegations of bribe taking from Unification Church". Yonhap News. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
- ^ a b "Ex-Oceans Minister Questioned for over 14 Hours in Unification Church Gift Scandal Probe". world.kbs.co.kr. Archived from the original on 31 December 2025. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
- ^ "DP Rep. Chun Jae-soo Not Indicted in Unification Church Gift Probe". world.kbs.co.kr. Archived from the original on 11 April 2026. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
- ^ "Task force decides not to indict ex-oceans minister over alleged bribery". Korea Joongang Daily. 10 April 2026. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
- ^ Ji-hyoung, Son (10 April 2026). "Ruling party's Busan mayor candidate cleared in Unification Church scandal". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
- ^ Ji-hyoung, Son (3 June 2026). "[Breaking] Former oceans minister likely to become Busan mayor: exit poll". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
- ^ "DP's Chun Jae-soo captures Busan mayoralty". koreajoongangdaily.joins.com. 4 June 2026. Retrieved 7 June 2026.