President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday tapped an incumbent prosecutor as his nominee for new prosecutor-general.

Moon Moo-il, the incumbent head of the Busan High Prosecutors' Office, has been designated as the country's new top prosecutor, according to the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae.

Moon, 55, joined the prosecution in 1989, three years after passing the national bar exam.

He graduated from Seoul's Korea University with a bachelor's degree in law.

The prosecutor-general nominee must undergo a parliamentary confirmation hearing, though he does not need parliamentary approval for his appointment.

If appointed, Moon will replace Kim Soo-nam, who stepped down two days after President Moon came into office May 10. (Yonhap)