U.S. Attorney for north Georgia abruptly resigns

U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak speaks outside the federal courthouse in downtown Atlanta  earlier this week. J. SCOTT TRUBEY/STRUBEY@AJC.COM Photo: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

U.S Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak has announced that he is resigning effective immediately on Monday.

Pak has been the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Northern District of Georgia for three years. The district consists of 46 counties in northwest Georgia and has offices in Atlanta, Rome Gainesville and Newnan.

Pak was nominated as a U.S. Attorney by President Donald Trump in July 2017 and sworn in on October 10.

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“It has been the greatest honor of my professional career to have been able to serve my fellow citizens as the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia,” Pak said in a statement. “I have done my best to be thoughtful and consistent, and to provide justice for my fellow citizens in a fair, effective and efficient manner. I am grateful to President Trump and the United States Senate for the opportunity to serve, and to former Attorneys General Sessions and Barr for their leadership of the Department.”

The online news site Talking Points Memo, which first reported Pak’s resignation, said that in a memo released Monday, Pak cited “unforeseen circumstances” as the cause of his departure. TPM reported Pak originally intended to stay with the office until Inauguration Day on Jan. 20, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Pak was born in Seoul, South Korea and immigrated to the U.S. when he was nine years old. He lives with his family in Gwinnett County.

In addition to being a U.S. attorney, he served as a state representative in Georgia from 2011 to 2017.

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