[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The government appears to be planning a special pardon for the year-end and New Year holidays.
According to the legal community on the 1st, the Ministry of Justice sent official letters related to special pardons last month to frontline prosecutors' offices and correctional institutions.
Through the official letters, the Ministry of Justice requested that, in addition to the usual special pardon targets such as livelihood offenders and model prisoners who have been criminally punished or are currently incarcerated, lists of offenders related to assemblies and demonstrations be identified and reported.
Specific special pardon target cases reportedly include protests against the amendment of the Minimum Wage Act and protests opposing the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system.
Previously, there have been a total of four special pardons under the current administration. Starting with the New Year's special pardon at the end of 2017, which pardoned a total of 6,444 people including former lawmaker Jeong Bong-ju and 25 individuals related to the Yongsan tragedy, two special pardons were carried out in 2019 on March 1st and at the end of the year.
The government also granted special pardons at the end of last year, pardoning 3,024 people including 26 individuals involved in protests against the construction of the Jeju naval base and the deployment of THAAD.
It is expected that former Presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye, who are currently imprisoned, will not be included in this special pardon.
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