Tense Anticipation Over Possible Pardon for Former President... Public Opinion Remains Lukewarm

Most People Power Party Leadership Candidates Support
Only Lee Jun-seok Maintains a 'Cautious' Stance
Public Opinion Polls Show Many Negative Views

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] As calls for a pardon of Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong have emerged, the political sphere is also paying close attention to the possibility of pardons for former Presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye.

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

Among the People Power Party candidates actively competing in the party leadership race, most raise the necessity of pardons, albeit with some differences in approach. During a debate held on the 1st, lawmakers Joo Ho-young, Hong Moon-pyo, and Cho Kyung-tae held up 'O' signs in response to the question, "Would you request a pardon?" Former lawmaker Na Kyung-won, who held up an 'X' sign, later explained, "It means I will not beg (the president)" and stated, "If I become party leader, I intend to ensure release in some form." However, only former Supreme Council member Lee Jun-seok has taken a cautious stance. He criticized Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and Busan Mayor Park Hyung-joon for bringing up the pardon issue to President Moon, calling it a "tactical failure."

Former President Park Geun-hye [Image source=Yonhap News]

Ruling party figures have generally shown a cautious attitude after former Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yeon raised the pardon issue and then apologized. Lawmaker Lee Kwang-jae, who mentioned the need for a pardon for Vice Chairman Lee, also stated that "caution is necessary" regarding pardons for former presidents. On the 3rd, Democratic Party lawmaker Yoon Gun-young appeared on MBC Radio’s ‘Kim Jong-bae’s Focus’ and mentioned the possibility of parole instead of a pardon. Yoon said, "If the criteria are met, I think it falls into a different area of judgment," adding, "It is one of the cases that can be considered."

Regarding the pardon of Vice Chairman Lee, various opinion polls show relatively high support, but for former presidents, negative results are more common. According to a poll conducted by Korea Gallup on behalf of Maeil Business Newspaper and MBN Broadcasting from April 11 to 12 (sample size 1,007, 95% confidence level with a margin of error ±3.1 percentage points, conducted via landline and mobile; detailed information available on the Central Election Poll Deliberation Commission website), 39% supported pardons for former presidents while 54.3% opposed. In a poll commissioned by Asia Economy and conducted by WinG Korea Consulting on April 24 to 25 (margin of error ±3.1 percentage points at 95% confidence level, mobile phone survey), support was 42.8% and opposition was 47.4%.