[Comprehensive] Lee Nak-yeon 'MB·Park Pardon' Controversy... Opposition Within the Party

Lee Nak-yeon Proposes Pardons for Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye
Party Members and Supporters Oppose: "Not to Be Pursued Without Public Consent"
Democratic Party Supreme Council: "Self-Reflection of the Parties Is Priority"

On the 3rd, Lee Nak-yeon, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, responded to questions regarding the pardons of former Presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye after concluding a closed Supreme Council meeting at his office in the National Assembly Members' Office Building. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Su-wan] The aftershocks surrounding Lee Nak-yeon, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, raising the issue of special pardons for former Presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye continue. Facing strong backlash from party members and supporters, Lee held a private meeting with the Supreme Council members to manage the situation. The Democratic Party stated that for a pardon to proceed, consensus must be formed not only among party members but also among the public, and that the apologies of the two former presidents must precede this. The Blue House has not issued an official stance on the pardon issue.

On the afternoon of the 3rd, Lee convened an emergency Supreme Council meeting at his office in the National Assembly Members' Office Building to gather opinions. The emergency meeting was arranged under Lee's leadership in response to internal party opposition to the pardon proposal. During the meeting, when Supreme Council members expressed negative views on the pardon proposal, Lee reportedly emphasized that his remarks stemmed from a sincere desire for national unity.

Chief Spokesperson Choi In-ho said in a briefing immediately after the meeting, "Lee's remarks are understood to have originated from a heartfelt desire for national unity," but added, "We agreed that public consensus and reflection by the parties involved are important, and we decided to respect the will of the people and party members going forward." He also stated, "The Supreme Council agreed to uphold the spirit of the Candlelight Movement by pursuing reform and unity together."

Regarding the mention of public consensus and reflection by the parties involved, Chief Spokesperson Choi said, "It can be understood that from now on, we will listen to the will of party members and the public before making a judgment."

After the meeting, Lee told reporters, "For now, I will wait for the Supreme Court's ruling." This is interpreted as meaning that after the Supreme Court's final appeal verdict on the 14th, he will consider the position of former President Park and public opinion before deciding whether to recommend a pardon to President Moon Jae-in.

Regarding the background of his pardon proposal, Lee emphasized sincerity, saying, "I believe politics should evolve beyond factional and confrontational politics to achieve national unity," and "I expressed my heartfelt intention in that regard." When asked by reporters whether he had communicated with the Blue House about the pardon issue, he drew a clear line, saying, "That did not happen."

The Blue House has not issued an official position on the pardon issue. However, in a special interview marking his second anniversary in office in May 2019, President Moon stated regarding the special pardon for the two former presidents, "Since the trials have not been finalized, it is difficult to talk about pardons in such circumstances," and "It is difficult to hope for a pardon before the trial is finalized." Therefore, it is expected that the Blue House will maintain its previously shown stance.

Among party members and supporters, opposition to the pardon is surging. Even after the Supreme Council's statement was released that day, many registered party members posted harsh criticisms on the party bulletin board directed at Lee, such as "If that's the case, go do politics with the People Power Party," and "He committed acts against justice solely for his own election." Some even demanded his resignation as party leader, saying, "He failed to unite even his supporters and instead caused division."

Critical voices have also emerged within the party. Lee Su-jin, a Democratic Party lawmaker and former judge, wrote on her Facebook that "Those in favor of the pardon are only the Taegeukgi protesters and certain politicians seeking political rehabilitation," and criticized, "I understand Lee's anguish, but it is premature." Previously, many lawmakers including Ahn Min-seok, Park Joo-min, Kang Deuk-gu, and Kim Nam-guk publicly expressed opposition.

Bae Jun-young, spokesperson for the People Power Party, is briefing on the contents of the emergency response committee's closed meeting at the National Assembly Communication Office in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of July 9. Photo by Yonhap News

Meanwhile, criticism of Lee and the Democratic Party has come from the opposition camp.

The People Power Party expressed strong regret toward the Democratic Party and Lee, calling it "cowardly and cruel political behavior." Spokesperson Bae Jun-young harshly criticized in a verbal statement, "Is it really normal to treat the pardon issue of former presidents as lightly as a feather?"

Fellow party member Jang Je-won said, "Less than 48 hours after raising the issue of pardoning former presidents, he is trying to take back his words, which makes me feel mocked," and criticized, "If Lee is the ruling party leader, he should behave like one."

Jang added, "If the ruling party leader raised the pardon issue without any communication with the Blue House, he is unfit for the position, and if he did communicate but failed to coordinate internal party differences, it shows that not only Lee but also President Moon Jae-in have fallen into a lame-duck period."

Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party and a candidate in the Seoul mayoral election, also expressed concern about Lee's pardon proposal. On the 1st, Ahn said, "(A pardon) requires national consensus. Especially if there is an attempt to use the pardon of former presidents for election purposes, that is unacceptable."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.