Reignited Park-MB Pardon Debate... Blue House Maintains Strategic Ambiguity

Busan Mayor Park Hyung-jun Proposes Pardon at Blue House Luncheon... Blue House Cautious, Political Calculations Around Presidential Election Also a Factor

[Asia Economy reporters Ryu Jeong-min and Naju-seok] The issue of pardoning former Presidents Park Geun-hye and Lee Myung-bak has once again become the focus of political attention.

Joo Ho-young, acting leader of the People Power Party and floor leader, along with lawmakers Kwon Seong-dong, Kim Ki-hyun, Kim Tae-heum, and Yoo Ui-dong, who have thrown their hats in the ring for the next 'floor commander' position, are also leaning toward a positive stance on pardons. On the 22nd, Representative Kim Tae-heum appeared on MBC Radio’s ‘Kim Jong-bae’s Focus’ and pointed out, "Regardless of guilt, even former presidents who led military coups in the past did not stay in prison this long."

Following Busan Mayor Park Hyung-joon’s remarks at a meeting between President Moon Jae-in and opposition party metropolitan leaders the previous day, where he said, "Former presidents can be considered the highest citizens, and it pains me to see them like this," effectively requesting a pardon, the atmosphere is being stirred up.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

However, the fact that cautious opinions are also emerging not only from the Democratic Party but from the opposition side as well is a variable. Kim Jae-seop, a member of the People Power Party’s Emergency Committee, appeared on CBS Radio’s ‘Kim Hyun-jung’s News Show’ that day and said, "There are definitely people who say it is very cautious and premature."

The decision rests entirely with the president. While President Moon expressed regret over the reality of elderly former presidents being incarcerated, he avoided giving a direct answer to Mayor Park’s request.

President Moon said, "We cannot ignore the public consensus, and it must help national unity. We have no choice but to consider both together." Compared to when then-Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yon raised the pardon issue in January and President Moon said at a press conference, "Movements demanding pardons without acknowledging trial results will not be accepted by public common sense," the tone has softened, but the message remains essentially unchanged.

The pardon debate for former presidents, emerging less than a year before the presidential election, intertwines with complex political dynamics. If a pardon is actually pursued, there is a possibility that the opposition will view it with suspicion of ‘political intent.’

However, the fact that the Blue House has not completely denied the possibility of a pardon is noteworthy. If President Moon proceeds with a pardon, it is expected that he will choose a timing that avoids political controversy surrounding the presidential election.

This could be between the presidential election on March 9 next year and the inauguration of the new president on May 10. If President Moon settles the pardon issue, it could also alleviate the political burden on his successor.

On the other hand, clearly stating a refusal to pardon may not be advantageous in various political situations, so it seems likely that the administration will maintain a stance of neither affirming nor denying the issue.

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