| Benk Korthals | |
| Office: | Chairman of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy |
| Term Start: | 22 May 2011 |
| Term End: | 14 June 2014 |
| Leader: | Mark Rutte |
| Predecessor: | Ivo Opstelten |
| Successor: | Henry Keizer |
| Office1: | Minister of Defence |
| Term Start1: | 22 July 2002 |
| Term End1: | 12 December 2002 |
| Primeminister1: | Jan Peter Balkenende |
| Predecessor1: | Frank de Grave |
| Successor1: | Henk Kamp |
| Office2: | Minister of Justice |
| Term Start2: | 3 August 1998 |
| Term End2: | 22 July 2002 |
| Primeminister2: | Wim Kok |
| Predecessor2: | Winnie Sorgdrager |
| Successor2: | Piet Hein Donner |
| Office3: | Member of the House of Representatives |
| Term Start3: | 23 May 2002 |
| Term End3: | 22 July 2002 |
| Term Start4: | 16 September 1982 |
| Term End4: | 3 August 1998 |
| Parliamentarygroup4: | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy |
| Birthname: | Albert Hendrik Korthals |
| Birth Date: | 1944 10, df=y |
| Birth Place: | Voorschoten, Netherlands |
| Nationality: | Dutch |
| Party: | People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (from 1977) |
| Children: | 3 children |
| Father: | Henk Korthals (1911–1976) |
| Residence: | Rotterdam, Netherlands |
| Alma Mater: | Leiden University (Bachelor of Laws, Master of Laws) |
| Occupation: | Politician · Jurist · Lawyer · Prosecutor |
| Allegiance: |  Netherlands |
| Branch: | Royal Netherlands Navy |
| Serviceyears: | 1963–1965 (Conscription) 1965–1975 (Reserve) |
| Rank: | Lieutenant (J.G.) |
| Unit: | Naval squadron |
| Battles: | Cold War |
Albert Hendrik "Benk" Korthals (born 5 October 1944) is a retired Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and jurist.
Korthals attended the Gymnasium Leiden from June 1957 until June 1963 and applied at the Leiden University in June 1967 majoring in law and obtaining a Bachelor of Laws degree before graduating with a Master of Laws degree in July 1973. Korthals worked as a lawyer and prosecutor in Rotterdam from January 1974 until August 1998. Korthals was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives after the election of 1982, taking office on 16 September 1982. After the election of 1998 Korthals was appointed as Minister of Justice in the Cabinet Kok II, taking office on 3 August 1998. After the election of 2002 Korthals returned as a Member of the House of Representatives, taking office on 23 May 2002. Following the cabinet formation of 2002 Korthals was appointment as Minister of Defence in the Cabinet Balkenende I, taking office on 22 July 2002. On 12 December 2002 Korthals resigned following the conclusions of a parliamentary inquiry report into a construction fraud investigation that was mishandled by him while serving as Minister of Justice. Korthals also served as Chairman of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy from 22 May 2011 until 14 June 2014.[1] [2] [3] [4]
| Honours | ||||
| Ribbon bar | Honour | Country | Date | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion | Netherlands | 28 April 1995 | ||
| Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau | Netherlands | 3 July 2003 | ||
| Commemorative Medal for Advancing Latvia's Membership to NATO | Latvia | 19 March 2004 | ||