[Exclusive] Choi Seo-won Requests Presidential Pardon for Park Geun-hye from President Moon... Blue House Responds "We Will Consider It"

"Former President's Health Deteriorates During Imprisonment, Please Consider National Unity"
Blue House Delivers General Response Through Ministry of Justice Saying "For Reference in Work"

A portion of the 5-page handwritten letter sent by Choi Seo-won (formerly Choi Soon-sil) to President Moon Jae-in on the 3rd of last month

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] Choi Seo-won (formerly Choi Soon-sil), who was sentenced to 18 years for the state corruption scandal and is currently serving her sentence at Cheongju Women's Prison, officially requested a special pardon for former President Park Geun-hye from President Moon Jae-in. The Blue House responded through the Ministry of Justice, telling Choi that they would "take it into consideration."

In a five-page handwritten letter sent to President Moon on the 3rd of last month, Choi appealed, "I hope you grant a pardon so that the final days of the female president, who is suffering severe physical pain, do not end in tragedy, and that the exhausted person can at least stay at home." In the letter, Choi mainly explained that former President Park's health has deteriorated, that she did not act out of personal gain, and that a decision is necessary for national unity.

After receiving the letter, the Blue House instructed the Ministry of Justice to respond, and on the 25th of last month, the Ministry's Prosecution Bureau sent an official notice to Choi stating, "We will take this into consideration regarding special pardons and related matters." A Blue House official said they could not confirm whether Choi's request had been conveyed directly to President Moon.

When asked by reporters whether Choi had requested a pardon for former President Park from President Moon, Choi conveyed the question through her attorney during a meeting and also sent a separate explanatory letter to the reporters. In the letter, Choi stated, "I wrote the request after much deliberation because it pains me deeply that an ordinary citizen like me causes prolonged hardship." She also expressed grievances about the unfairness of the guilty verdict in the state corruption case, poor prison meals, and excessive workload difficulties during incarceration. In April, Choi also filed a complaint with the prosecution against the warden and staff of Cheongju Women's Prison on charges including sexual assault.

Former President Park was sentenced to a total of 22 years for the state corruption scandal. Since she has served about four years so far, she is not eligible for parole. At a luncheon with Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and Busan Mayor Park Hyung-joon on April 21, President Moon mentioned the pardons of the two former presidents, saying, "We cannot ignore public consensus, and it should act to help national unity." Earlier, at a New Year's press conference in January, he said, "I think now is not the time to talk about pardons."