President Yoon Suk Yeol has granted Liberation Day pardons to more than 12 hundred people.
As expected, President Yoon made it possible for a key liberal politician Kim Kyoung-soo to return to politics.
Our Correspondent Kim Do-yeon reports.
In light of the upcoming National Liberation Day President Yoon Suk Yeol has paved the way for the return to politics for a key opposition figure restoring the rights of Kim Kyoung-soo, a former Gyeongsangnam-do Province Governor, who was convicted of manipulating a number of online comments sections to help former President Moon Jae-in’s election win in 2017.
On Tuesday the Justice Ministry announced that a total of 55 politicians have been included in the customary National Liberation Day pardon and clemency list.
“In particular, by granting pardons to those involved in public opinion manipulation, regardless of political affiliation, we aimed to resolve the resulting political conflicts and create an opportunity to move forward in unity for the sake of national interest.”
Kim was pardoned back in December 2022 which only got him out of jail early, but he was prohibited from running for public office until December 2027.
Kim is considered a key figure in the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, and with this he’s now able to run for public office.
In 2026 is the nationwide local elections and in 2027 there is the next presidential election.
And other politicians among the pardoned included Cho Yoon-sun, a former Culture Minister under former President Park Geun-hye, who was convicted for creating a “blacklist” of cultural figures.
Meanwhile in terms of the total list President Yoon pardoned 1,219 people.
More than 410-thousand were also relieved of administrative penalties.
Many of these were returning driving privileges to people who need to drive for their jobs.
“This pardon was primarily focused on revitalizing the struggling economy for ordinary citizens, amid concerns about a global economic downturn, and on creating an opportunity for national unity and harmony.”
In the meantime, the Justice Ministry says that 20 of the pardons made were for financial crimes business owners convicted due to being unable to pay off their debt.
However, the ministry emphasizes there were no pardons for non-face-to-face online frauds targeting a large, unspecified number of people.
Kim Do-yeon, Arirang News.
source : https://www.arirang.com/news/view?id=274664
