Former Chairperson of the Board of Audit and Inspection and People Power Party presidential candidate Choi Jae-hyung is declaring his presidential bid on the afternoon of the 4th at a studio in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Seohyun] Choi Jae-hyung, a presidential candidate from the People Power Party and former head of the Board of Audit and Inspection, expressed support on the 5th for the pardons of former Presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye, as well as the parole of Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong.
On the same day, on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show,' Choi said regarding the pardon of the two former presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye, "It is desirable for President Moon Jae-in to make a decision (on the pardon) from the perspective of national unity," adding, "Although it is difficult to specify the timing, it is not desirable for the two former presidents to continue serving their sentences as they are now."
He continued, "Just as during former President Kim Dae-jung's era, when he recommended to former President Kim Young-sam to pardon former Presidents Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo, it is desirable for the side exercising the pardon to do so."
Regarding Vice Chairman Lee, he said, "Lee basically meets the fundamental conditions for parole," and added, "When setting the parole criteria, I hope that consideration will be given to both the contributions Lee has made to the country as an entrepreneur and the contributions he will make in the future."
When asked whether he thinks Lee's parole is desirable from a national perspective, he said, "There are citizens who think about whether (parole) is 'equal before the law' in serving the remaining sentence, and there may also be some who think that Lee, as a chaebol head, is receiving unequal treatment."
Meanwhile, Choi named former President Rhee Syngman as the president who best upheld constitutional values. Regarding this, he evaluated, "Although he had his merits and demerits, he was the president who established a constitution based on liberal democracy and set the initial direction for this country."
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