Sim Sang-jung: "President Moon, who said 6 years ago 'No imperial privileges'... Clarify your stance on Lee Jae-yong's parole"

Sim Sang-jung, Justice Party member. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] Regarding the parole of Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, Sim Sang-jung, a member of the Justice Party, urged President Moon Jae-in to make a statement.

On the 10th, Sim posted on her Facebook, saying, "Although the parole of Vice Chairman Lee, one of the main figures in the state affairs manipulation scandal, has been decided, the Blue House has drawn a line by saying there is no position on this matter," and added, "Everyone, even a child, knows that this decision could not have been made without the president's determination. We demand a clear stance from President Moon, who prioritized clearing deep-rooted evils as the number one national agenda."

Sim then recalled President Moon's past remarks. She said, "Six years ago, President Moon criticized the parole of business executives during the Park Geun-hye administration, saying, 'If chaebol heads or executives receive parole privileges, it goes against economic justice,'" and pointed out, "Reducing the sentence for Vice Chairman Lee's state affairs manipulation crime is an imperial privilege and a special injustice."

On the 10th, Sim Sang-jung, a member of the Justice Party, demanded President Moon Jae-in's stance on the parole of Lee Jae-yong, Vice Chairman of Samsung Electronics, through her Facebook.

Sim continued, "With this decision, President Moon's great slogan that 'opportunities are equal, processes are fair, and results are just,' which inspired the candlelight citizens, has faded," and questioned, "Is it fair and just to overlook chaebols embezzling, engaging in accounting fraud, and colluding with politics? Must South Korea still be a Samsung Republic even after the candlelight revolution?"

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Justice Parole Review Committee, during the August 15 parole candidate review meeting on the 9th, approved 810 out of a total of 1,057 applicants, including Vice Chairman Lee, as eligible for parole. Regarding this, Park Beom-gye, Minister of Justice, emphasized, "This was simply carried out according to the procedures based on parole requirements," and stated, "There is no special treatment for Vice Chairman Lee."

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