Kim Kyung-soo Excluded from September Parole Candidates... Lee Byung-ho and Moon Hyung-pyo Included

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] Former Gyeongnam Governor Kim Kyung-soo, who is serving time for the 'Druking Comment Manipulation Case,' was excluded from the September parole candidates, resulting in the cancellation of his release.

According to the legal community on the 20th, Kim was included in the September parole review candidates at the Ministry of Justice Parole Review Committee meeting held the previous day but was ultimately judged 'ineligible.' The parole review committee is chaired by the Vice Minister of Justice. After discussion, candidates are classified as eligible, ineligible, or deferred.

According to internal standards, inmates who have served more than 60% of their sentence become eligible for parole review. Kim became eligible for parole review this month after surpassing 70% of his sentence.

Previously, Kim was prosecuted on charges of conspiring with 'Druking' Kim Dong-won and his associates to manipulate public opinion from the end of 2016 to secure the election of then Democratic Party presidential candidate Moon Jae-in. In January 2019, he was sentenced to two years in prison in the first trial and was detained in court, but was released on bail after 77 days. Last July, his sentence was finalized by the Supreme Court, and he was re-incarcerated at Changwon Prison.

Former National Intelligence Service Director Lee Byung-ho and former Minister of Health and Welfare Moon Hyung-pyo were judged eligible in the parole review and their release was decided. Lee was indicted for providing 2.1 billion won in special activity funds to former President Park Geun-hye, and his three years and six months sentence was finalized by the Supreme Court last July. Moon was sentenced to two years and six months in prison last April for exerting influence on the National Pension Service to approve the 2015 merger of Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries.

The September parole candidates are expected to be released around the 30th.

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