Religious and Political Circles Call for Pardons... MB, Jeong Gyeong-sim, Kim Kyung-soo, Lee Seok-ki, etc.
Diverse Reasons for Pardons Including National Unity and Health Deterioration
Fatigue Among Citizens Over Repeated 'Pardon Politics'
"Excessive Use of Pardon Power Threatens Rule of Law... Citizens May Feel Relative Deprivation"
Requests for a pardon for President Moon Jae-in are pouring in from various sectors. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] With just two weeks left until President Moon Jae-in's term ends, requests for pardons citing 'national unity' are pouring in from religious circles and others. Despite the failure to discuss the pardon of former President Lee Myung-bak (MB) during a meeting with President-elect Yoon Seok-youl, who had advocated for MB's pardon, calls for such pardons have resurfaced.
Some quarters are expressing expectations for a special pardon ahead of Buddha's Birthday (May 8), but among citizens, there are voices expressing fatigue over the so-called 'pardon political climate' that has been repeated since the pardon of former President Park Geun-hye at the end of last year.
On the 24th, petitions demanding special pardons continued from religious circles. The targets of the pardon requests broadly include Lee, former Gyeongnam Governor Kim Kyung-soo, former Unified Progressive Party lawmaker Lee Seok-ki, and former professor Jung Kyung-shim, the spouse of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk. Religious elders such as Father Song Ki-in and Father Ham Se-woong, known as mentors to President Moon, requested pardons for Professor Jung and former lawmaker Lee Seok-ki, while Buddhist figures including the Jogye Order requested pardons for Lee and former Governor Kim. They emphasized that a decision on pardons must be made to achieve national unity.
Requests for pardons also surged in the political sphere. Following Lee Sang-min, a Democratic Party lawmaker who has continuously advocated for MB's pardon citing 'national consensus,' on the same day, Democratic Party lawmaker Ahn Min-seok supported the call for Professor Jung's pardon. Through his Facebook, he appealed, "There are people who suffered during the process of normalizing and reforming the prosecution. There is also a family that was devastated by the abuse of prosecutorial power under the 'Yoon Seok-youl prosecution.' They were hunted rather than investigated. Although full restoration may be impossible, at least minimal consideration should be given now." Lawmaker Ahn cited Professor Jung's health reasons.
Some expect that President Moon might carry out a final pardon on Buddha's Birthday, the day before his term ends. Although President Moon has not previously mentioned pardons for Lee and former Governor Kim, there is speculation that he might consider pardons if requests from various sectors continue to pour in.
However, the Blue House has not yet issued any specific stance. A senior Blue House official told Yonhap News Agency, "We have not heard of any discussions about pardons within the Blue House yet," and drew a line by saying, "It is not appropriate to comment on pardons, which are the president's exclusive authority." Earlier, President-elect Yoon had continuously raised the issue of MB's pardon during the presidential election process, but the topic did not come up during his meeting with President Moon. At that time, political circles predicted that the Blue House, responding to Yoon's request, would carry out pardons for both former Governor Kim and Lee, but this prediction was off the mark.
Former President Lee Myung-bak, who was receiving treatment for underlying conditions at a hospital for about 50 days during his incarceration at Seoul Eastern Detention Center, was discharged from Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of February 10 and is heading to a transport vehicle bound for Anyang Prison. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Meanwhile, some citizens express fatigue over the continuous pardon discussions since the presidential election process. Just as there was negative public opinion despite former President Park Geun-hye's pardon for health reasons, recent public opinion on MB's pardon is not entirely positive. According to a Gallup Korea survey conducted nationwide from April 22 to 24 among 1,000 adults aged 18 and over, 50% responded that former President Lee Myung-bak should not be pardoned, while 39% said he should be pardoned. Detailed information can be found on the Central Election Poll Deliberation Commission website.
There are also criticisms that the presidential pardon power should be used only in very limited cases. The pardon power is an exception to the criminal justice system, and if this authority is overused, the criminal justice system could become ineffective.
In this regard, political commentator Lee Jong-hoon expressed concerns that the overuse of pardon power could undermine the rule of law. He said, "At the end of a term, there are cases where the president's pardon power is overused, especially with favor pardons for close associates of the president. If people involved in corruption, bribery, or election law violations during the term are pardoned, can the rule of law stand firm?"
The commentator explained the negative public opinion on pardons by saying, "If pardons are granted to minor offenders at the end of a term, the public might understand. However, when pardons are granted to those in power, public opinion is inevitably negative. Citizens will think that the law and rule of law apply only to ordinary people. This will further deepen citizens' relative deprivation and perceptions of unfairness."
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