Park Beom-gye "Moon Jae-in Government's Pardon Exercised in a Highly Restrained Manner"... Received 'Park's Pardon Intention' Before the 17th

Minister of Justice Park Beom-gye is holding a briefing on the 2022 special pardon, which includes the special pardon of former President Park Geun-hye and the reinstatement of former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook, at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 24th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin, Legal Affairs Specialist] On the 27th, Park Beom-gye, Minister of Justice, stated regarding the New Year's special pardon carried out last week, "Under the Moon Jae-in administration, pardons were exercised with a high degree of restraint."

Minister Park said during his commute to the Government Complex Gwacheon on the morning of the same day, "I believe that under the Moon Jae-in administration, pardons were exercised with a high degree of restraint based on various standards and principles."

However, he added, "It is difficult for me to comment on the specific details or the process of determining the scope of the pardon recipients, as that is the president's exclusive authority."

In response to reporters' questions about political controversies surrounding pardons and calls to revise pardon standards, he replied, "Pardoning is a constitutional authority and is exercised not as the head of the administration but in the capacity of the head of state, so it is a matter for constitutional amendment."

Regarding the pardons and reinstatements of former President Park Geun-hye and former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook, he said, "Before the 17th, I received the president's intention regarding the pardons," and added, "On the 17th, at a meeting with the Ministry of Justice's Prosecutor General and staff, I instructed them to prepare materials to submit to the Pardon Review Committee."

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