Rival Presidential Candidates Warned of 'Self-Serving Politics'... Blue House in Cautious Mode on Park-Lee Pardon Debate

Lee Nak-yeon’s Pardon Proposal Met with Silence from Blue House, Denies Prior Coordination... Presidential Candidates' 'Political Gambit' Becomes 2021 Political Variable

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] The Blue House is maintaining a cautious stance by not issuing an official response to Lee Nak-yeon, the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, regarding his proposal for pardoning former Presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye.

One reason for the careful response is that the issue of pardons, which is an exclusive presidential authority, has surfaced through the ruling party leader. Lee sent a message indicating his intention to recommend pardons to President Moon Jae-in, and if the Blue House responds negatively, it could ignite further controversy.

This is also why a sense of embarrassment is detected within the Blue House. As soon as Lee raised the pardon issue, the focus shifted to whether there was any 'prior consultation' with the Blue House. The sparks of controversy have already spread to the Blue House. A Blue House official stated, "The claim that there was prior consultation regarding the pardons is not true," but it seems unlikely that the controversy will easily subside.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The issue is also expected to be a focal point at President Moon’s New Year press conference, anticipated in mid-January. There is speculation that the Supreme Court’s sentencing schedule for former President Park could influence the tone of President Moon’s remarks.

Kim Young-bae, a Democratic Party lawmaker and former Blue House Policy Coordination Secretary, said in an interview on MBC Radio’s 'Kim Jong-bae’s Focus' on the 4th, "I expect the president will not reveal a guideline on this matter first."

A noteworthy aspect of this controversy is that the ruling party’s presidential candidates’ 'self-politics' could emerge as a variable in the 2021 political landscape. While the Blue House focuses on the success of the Moon Jae-in administration and a stable conclusion to governance, the ruling party prioritizes regime re-creation.

Lee Nak-yeon, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Kim Tae-nyeon, floor leader, are attending the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 4th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

In past presidential elections, ruling party candidates expanded their political space through differentiation strategies, which is closely related to their election strategies. Lee’s strength lies in his broad governance experience as Prime Minister, Governor of Jeollanam-do, and National Assembly member, providing a sense of stability. However, if he fails to create a political turning point to raise his stagnant approval ratings, he may struggle in the internal competition among ruling party presidential candidates.

Lee’s pardon proposal could have been a card to expand his appeal toward moderate and conservative voters, but the reality is moving in a different direction than expected. Going forward, ruling party presidential candidates will inevitably have to draw their political blueprints based on their own election timetables.

This means that not only Lee but also other ruling party presidential candidates may take political gambits depending on the situation. This is a source of concern for President Moon, who is planning his fifth year in office. The mere impression that the Blue House and the ruling party are walking different paths could lead to a weakening of the momentum in governance.

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