Ministry of Justice Begins Pardon Review Committee Meeting... Will MB and Kim Kyung-soo Receive 'Joint Pardon'? (Comprehensive)

Former President Lee Myung-bak [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The Ministry of Justice's Pardon Review Committee, which selects candidates for the year-end special pardon, will convene on the 23rd.

The Ministry of Justice began reviewing candidates for the year-end special pardon at 10 a.m. at the Government Complex Gwacheon. Attorney Koo Bon-min, an external member attending the meeting, responded to reporters' questions about the review criteria and key issues by saying, "We will conduct a thorough review," before heading into the meeting room.

The Review Committee consists of a total of nine members: four ex officio members including Chairman Han Dong-hoon, Minister of Justice; Vice Minister Lee Nogong; Shin Jayong, Director of the Prosecution Bureau; and Kim Sun-hwa, Head of the Public Trial and Litigation Department at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office; as well as five appointed external members such as professors and attorneys.

Once the Review Committee decides on the candidates for the special pardon, Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon reports the results to President Yoon Seok-yeol, who holds the pardon authority. President Yoon is expected to preside over a Cabinet meeting on the 27th to finalize the list and carry out the pardon effective on the 28th.

In political circles, there is a prevailing atmosphere that the pardon of former President Lee Myung-bak, who was excluded from the Liberation Day special pardon in August, is a foregone conclusion. Former President Lee has about 15 years remaining on his sentence. He also did not apply for an extension of his suspension of sentence, which expires on the 28th. Attention is also focused on whether former Gyeongnam Governor Kim Kyung-soo, a prominent pro-Moon (pro-Moon Jae-in) figure in the opposition, will be pardoned. Kim was sentenced to two years in prison by the Supreme Court in July last year for the 'Druking comment manipulation case' and is scheduled for release in May next year. Since he has little time left on his sentence, it seems more likely that he will be reinstated rather than having the remainder of his sentence waived.

If Kim is reinstated, he could aim for a political comeback. If reinstatement is denied, his eligibility to run for office will be restricted until May 2028. When the possibility of a waiver of the remaining sentence without reinstatement was raised, Kim expressed through Democratic Party lawmaker Ki Dong-min that he "will not be a mere accessory to MB (former President Lee Myung-bak)'s pardon."

Within the ruling party, the possibility of pardons for former Deputy Prime Minister Choi Kyung-hwan, former National Intelligence Service Directors Nam Jae-joon, Lee Byung-gi, and Lee Byung-ho, and in the opposition, former Blue House Senior Secretary for Political Affairs Jeon Byung-heon, is also being discussed. At one point, a scenario for exempting former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook from her fine was mentioned, but it is reported to have been excluded from review due to lack of precedent.

In the business community, there are expectations for pardons for Lee Joong-geun, Chairman of Booyoung Group; Park Chan-gu, Chairman of Kumho Petrochemical Group; and Choi Ji-sung, former head of Samsung Electronics' Future Strategy Office.

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