'Samsung's Choi Ji-sung and Jang Chung-gi in the "Gukjeong Nongdan" Scandal Included in March 1st Parole Review'

Former Samsung Future Strategy Office Chief Choi Ji-sung is attending the second retrial hearing of the state affairs manipulation case at the Seoul High Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the 22nd. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] It has been confirmed that Choi Ji-sung, former head of the Future Strategy Office, and Jang Chung-gi, former deputy head (president) of the same office, who are serving prison sentences after being convicted in connection with the Park Geun-hye administration’s state affairs manipulation scandal, are included in the list for the March 1st parole review.

According to Yonhap News and legal circles on the 21st, the Ministry of Justice will discuss the parole eligibility of former head Choi and former deputy Jang at the second March 1st parole review committee meeting, chaired by the vice minister, at 2 p.m. on the 23rd. Both were also subjects of review at the first March 1st parole committee held on the 15th, but it is known that their cases were deferred.

Former head Choi and former deputy Jang are currently serving prison sentences of 2 years and 6 months each, confirmed for charges including bribery. Their sentences are scheduled to end around July next year. Under Korean criminal law, those sentenced to imprisonment with labor can be paroled after serving one-third of their sentence. However, typically, they must meet the execution rate criteria (50% to 90%) to be considered for preliminary parole review.

Choi Kyung-hwan, former member of the Liberty Korea Party who served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Strategy and Finance under the Park Geun-hye administration, is also on the list for the second review. He was sentenced to 5 years in prison after being convicted of receiving 10 million won in special activity funds from the National Intelligence Service, provided by former NIS Policy Director Lee Heon-soo, as a bribe in October 2014. He has currently served about 80% of his sentence.

Former Minsheng Party member Hwang Ju-hong is also included in the second review list. Hwang was arrested and indicted for providing money and goods to constituents ahead of the general election and was sentenced to 2 years in prison last November.

On the morning of the same day, on his way to the Ministry of Justice at the Government Complex Gwacheon, Minister of Justice Park Beom-gye told reporters, "It is difficult to specify names, but there are businesspeople among the review candidates," adding, "We intend to expand parole for model prisoners."

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