President Lee Jae-myung Approves Special Pardon and Restoration for 2,188 People, Including Former Justice Minister Cho Kuk
President Lee Jae-myung has deliberated and approved a special pardon and restoration plan for 2,188 individuals, including former Justice Minister Cho Kuk and former SK Networks CEO Choi Shin-won, during a Cabinet meeting.
The presidential office emphasized that no close associates of President Lee are included in this pardon and restoration measure, explaining that this decision demonstrates a willingness for social reconciliation and unity.
Senior Secretary for Public Communications Kang You-jeong stated during a briefing following a temporary Cabinet meeting held at the presidential office in Yongsan on the 11th, "President Lee resonated with the Ministry of Justice's pardon proposal to meet the demands of the era for national unity and to inject warmth into the livelihood economy." Earlier, Justice Minister Jeong Seong-ho announced during a briefing at the Government Complex Seoul that a special pardon and restoration for 2,188 individuals, including former Minister Cho, politicians, and labor figures, will take effect on the 15th.
Additionally, special reduction measures for 834,499 individuals subject to administrative sanctions, such as those involved in subsistence fisheries and driver's license-related industries, will also be implemented.
Special Pardon for Liberation Day Aims for National Unity and Recovery of the Livelihood Economy
A special pardon is the president's authority to exempt execution of a sentence or nullify the effects of a conviction for a criminal.
After the Justice Minister reports the pardon candidates to the president, the final decision is made by the president following deliberation by the Cabinet, and the pardoned inmates are released immediately.
Restoration refers to the recovery of qualifications lost due to a sentence, and in the case of politicians, it has the effect of restoring eligibility for election.
Kang emphasized, "The core principle of this Liberation Day special pardon is a restorative measure for livelihoods aimed at lowering the heightened social tensions caused by illegal states of emergency and reviving the stagnant economy." She added, "To this end, President Lee listened to and considered opinions from various sectors." Furthermore, she stated, "The decision regarding the pardon for politicians was made after comprehensively listening to religious and civic groups as well as political parties" and expressed hope that this measure would serve as an opportunity for political restoration through dialogue and reconciliation.
Among those benefiting from this pardon and restoration are former Minister Cho and his spouse, former independent lawmaker Yoon Mi-hyang, former Open Democratic Party lawmaker Choi Kang-wook, former People Power Party lawmaker Jeong Chan-min, and former Saenuri Party lawmakers Hong Mun-jong and Shim Hak-bong. Kang reiterated that "close associates of President Lee are not included in this pardon," emphasizing that if categorized by party affiliation, more politicians from the opposition side are included in the pardon.
No close associates of President Lee are included in this pardon
Expectations for Economic Revitalization through Businessmen's Pardon and Credit Recovery Support
Regarding the pardon for businessmen, Kang stated, "The pardon for major businessmen is expected to serve as a foundation for job creation and dynamic economic growth," noting that pardons for small and medium enterprises and small business owners, which are the roots of our economy, will contribute to the stability and recovery of the livelihood economy. This pardon and restoration measure includes individuals such as former SK Networks CEO Choi Shin-won, former head of Samsung Group Future Strategy Office Choi Ji-sung, former deputy head of Samsung Group Future Strategy Office Jang Chung-ki, former president of Samsung Electronics' External Relations Park Sang-jin, former executive director of Samsung Electronics' External Relations Hwang Seong-su, former chairman of Dongyang Group Hyun Hyun, and former Daegu Bank president Park In-kyu.
In particular, this measure also includes a credit recovery support plan, which will provide assistance to 3.24 million individuals with small overdue records, as stated by Kang.
She emphasized that this is "the largest scale in history."
Kang reported that President Lee was informed by the Financial Services Commission that 88% of small overdue individuals with debts under 50 million won had paid off their debts within one year but continue to suffer disadvantages in credit access due to the overdue records shared within the financial sector for five years. "If someone pays off their debts, they should be praised; treating them with disadvantages due to past overdue experiences is no different from treating them as criminals," President Lee stated, directing for measures to ensure that there are no obstacles to their everyday economic activities. Additionally, following a suggestion from Minister of Veterans Affairs Kwon Oh-gyeol to continue identifying cases similar to this subsistence pardon across various departments, President Lee instructed them to gather examples of subsistence pardons by each ministry for review during the year-end Christmas pardon.
Image source: (Left) Former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, (Right) Former Democratic Party lawmaker Choi Kang-wook / News1, President Lee Jae-myung / Photo provided by the presidential office, Justice Minister Jeong Seong-ho announcing the special pardon list for Liberation Day on the afternoon of the 11th at the Government Complex Seoul in Jongno-gu / News1
