[Summary] "Suhyungil 1234 Days, Too Harsh" Pro-Park Faction Demands Special Pardon for Park Geun-hye Ahead of Liberation Day

Yoon Sang-hyun "The burden of enduring Park Geun-hye is extremely heavy"
Park Dae-chul "Earnestly request special pardon"
Kim Jong-chul "Nonsense... Trial is not over"

Former President Park Geun-hye / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Ahead of Liberation Day on the 15th, some pro-Park (supporters of former President Park Geun-hye) lawmakers have called for a special pardon for former President Park.

Independent lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun, who served as the public relations chief for Park Geun-hye's campaign during the 2012 presidential election and as a presidential political advisor in the Park administration in 2015, wrote on his Facebook on the 11th, "I urge President Moon Jae-in to restore Gwanghwamun Square, which has become a 'symbol of division,' into a 'symbol of national unity' this Liberation Day," adding, "Please unite Gwanghwamun Square, which has divided the people in half," calling for a pardon for former President Park.

He continued, "Only President Moon Jae-in can resolve this," emphasizing, "The punishment endured by former President Park was extremely heavy both politically and humanely. She has already been imprisoned for the longest period among former presidents, now in her 40th month of incarceration."

Independent Assemblyman Yoon Sang-hyun / Photo by Yonhap News

He further stated, "Without resolving the issue concerning former President Park, Gwanghwamun Square will remain divided between candlelight rallies and Taegeukgi rallies, and integration will be impossible, leading only to a vicious cycle of historical misfortune," arguing, "Only forgiveness and reconciliation can turn the candlelight and Taegeukgi rallies from enemies into one people, and that forgiveness and reconciliation require 'leadership of tolerance.'"

Park Dae-chul, a member of the Future United Party classified as pro-Park within the party, also wrote on his Facebook the same day, "By this Liberation Day, former President Park will have served 1,234 days in prison," adding, "That is an excessively harsh number. It is time to make a decision."

He urged, "The spirit of 'empathy' that President Moon mentioned at this year's New Year's meeting is needed now," and "I earnestly request a special pardon once again. It is time to grant her freedom."

This is not the first time voices from the conservative camp, including pro-Park lawmakers, have called for a pardon for former President Park. Earlier, on May 22, a day before the 11th anniversary memorial for former President Roh Moo-hyun, Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the United Party, wrote on Facebook, "The 'tragedy of presidents,' where every president without exception ends up unhappy, must now come to an end," requesting a pardon for former President Park.

However, the general consensus is that the possibility of a special pardon for former President Park is low. It is considered inappropriate to discuss a special pardon while trials related to the so-called 'state affairs manipulation' case and the National Intelligence Service's special activity funds bribery case are still ongoing.

According to Article 3, Paragraph 2 of the Pardon Act, special pardons and sentence reductions apply only to those whose sentences have been finalized.

Former President Park, who was indicted in 2017 on charges including state affairs manipulation, was sentenced last month in the retrial to 20 years in prison, a fine of 18 billion KRW, and a confiscation of 3.5 billion KRW after more than three years. On the 16th of the same month, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that the acquittal on abuse of power charges related to the 'blacklist' case, which excluded support for certain cultural artists, was incorrect.

Kim Jong-chul, senior spokesperson for the Justice Party, criticized the calls for a special pardon for former President Park by some lawmakers during a briefing on the afternoon of the 11th, saying, "Stop making nonsense," and pointed out, "Former President Park has already been convicted or is undergoing trials at the Supreme Court for numerous charges including bribery, abuse of power, and leaking official secrets, which are by no means minor crimes."

He added, "Why should someone who resigned amid great public criticism and was struck down by the courts be pardoned simply because she is a former president?"