[Independence Day Pardon] Minjoo Criticizes Yoon's 'Special Amnesty'... "Excluding Politicians, Pardoning Only Businesspeople, Is This National Unity?"

Direct Hit on Special Pardon Announcement on the 12th
Park Yong-jin: "Unequal Justice for the Rich and Poor"

Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong of Samsung Electronics, who was reinstated through the special pardon on August 15 Liberation Day, is making a statement at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 12th. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] On the 12th, the Democratic Party of Korea pointed out that excluding politicians from President Yoon Suk-yeol's August 15 Liberation Day special pardon list while including chaebol heads goes against precedent.

Woo Sang-ho, the emergency committee chairman, met with reporters at the National Assembly that day and said, "It is customary to include politicians when granting pardons for national unity," adding, "It is regrettable that only politicians are excluded."

Park Hong-geun, the floor leader, also stated after a Big Tech Abuse Countermeasure Task Force meeting, "There is no sign of national unity, and this seems to be an unprecedented special pardon for economic figures," expressing concern, "I worry whether the public can fully accept this."

He continued, "Moreover, in the case of Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, the trial is still ongoing," and said, "Exercising the pardon right as an act of goodwill for someone currently on trial is hardly a desirable precedent."

Assemblyman Lee Won-wook also questioned, "What truly overcomes the economic crisis and what constitutes social integration?" He insisted, "Pardons for former President Lee Myung-bak and former Gyeongnam Governor Kim Kyung-soo should have been carried out for national unity." He added, "President Yoon Suk-yeol's first pardon is ultimately a failure. It is merely a gesture to overcome the economic crisis."

Party leader candidate Park Yong-jin pointed out the inclusion of chaebol heads in the pardon list. On Facebook that day, he said, "The charges against Vice Chairman Lee and Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin were bribery," and criticized the pardon including chaebol heads as a "pardon that does not exclude the wealthy," citing the old saying, "Justice depends on wealth."

He clarified, "I am not saying they should be excluded from the Liberation Day pardon simply because they are chaebol or wealthy," but emphasized, "I am referring to the public's sense of justice and society's sensitivity to fairness and common sense."