Gwon Seung-ryeol

Gwon Seung-ryeol (; 1895 – September 30, 1980) was a South Korean politician and lawyer who served as the second minister of justice for South Korea from June 6, 1949, to May 21, 1950, and the tenth minister of justice in 1960 from April 25 to August 19. He previously served as the first prosecutor general from October 31, 1948, to June 6, 1949.

Biography Gwon was born in 1895 during the 32nd year of King Gojong's reign in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, Joseon. In 1908, he studied Japanese at the , graduating in 1911. In 1916, he began working for the Government-General of Korea as an apprentice officer in Yeonbaek County. Gwon left his government post in 1920 and began studying law at the Chuo University in Tokyo, Japan in 1922. He graduated in 1926 at the top of his class.

Gwon returned to Korea in 1926 and practiced law in Seoul. He provided free legal representation to Korean independence activists; his clients included those involved in the and Gwangju Student Independence Movement. He also represented figures such as Ahn Chai-hong, , Lyuh Woon-hyung, and Ahn Chang Ho. Following Korea's liberation from Japan in 1945, Gwon was a founding member of the Democratic Party of Korea. He also served as a deputy director for the Judicial Officers Training Institute and a director for the Legislation Bureau of the interim government's Judicial Department before becoming deputy director of the Judicial Department in 1948. In this position, he also served as the deputy minister of justice and director of the Special Prosecutor's Office for Anti-National Activities. Gwon's first term as minister of justice ended on May 21, 1950, after being dismissed by President Rhee. Gwon also served as minister of justice in 1960 from April 25 to August 19.