Justice Party Opposes Lee Myung-bak's Pardon "80 Billion Won Fine Also Reduced... Where Is Yoon's Fairness and Common Sense?"

"Kim Kyung-soo Pardon, Just for Show"

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] The Justice Party has stated that it "strongly opposes the pardon of former President Lee Myung-bak," who is being mentioned as a likely candidate for the year-end special pardon.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Senior Spokesperson Kim Hee-seo held a briefing at the National Assembly communication office on the 15th, saying, "Lee Myung-bak is causing controversy as the top priority for the special pardon," and criticized, "President Yoon Seok-yeol is effectively embracing the stigma of 'MB Government Season 2' himself."

Spokesperson Kim emphasized, "The rule of law exists only when judicial justice is consistent and fair both in the past and present," and clearly pointed out that "the Justice Party deems the 'MB pardon' unacceptable."

Regarding the mention of former Gyeongnam Governor Kim Kyung-soo as a candidate for the year-end special pardon alongside former President Lee, Kim criticized it as a "token gesture."

Kim said, "They wrapped it in the guise of a 'Kim Kyung-soo pardon' to balance things out, but in reality, it is just a token gesture to justify Lee Myung-bak's pardon," and questioned, "How else could the person involved say, 'I refuse to be a mere prop in a forced inclusion pardon'?"

He fiercely condemned, "If Lee Myung-bak is pardoned, his 8 billion won fine will also be waived. Meanwhile, subcontracted workers at Daewoo Shipbuilding, who have been hit with a 47 billion won damage lawsuit bomb, have been fasting in front of the National Assembly for 16 days. While subcontracted workers' demands to restore wages cut due to the economic downturn are met with damage lawsuits, if MB's fine is dismissed as if it never existed, it would be a self-admission by President Yoon that his talk of law and principles is nothing but hollow lies."

He added, "Workers who cried out on the streets that they did not want to die are treated like criminals, while criminals who embezzled and accepted bribes are pardoned. Where then are the law and principles, fairness and common sense that President Yoon claims to uphold?" and concluded, "All people are equal before the law."