Han Dong-hoon, leader of the People Power Party, is reported to have expressed opposition to the reinstatement of former Gyeongnam Governor Kim Kyung-soo. The Presidential Office stated that "pardons and reinstatements are the exclusive authority of the president."
A key figure in the People Power Party told Yonhap News on the 10th, "Leader Han said, 'Many citizens may not agree with reinstating someone who has not reflected on crimes that destroy democracy to participate in politics.'" This is interpreted as criticizing former Governor Kim for neither acknowledging his criminal acts nor apologizing despite being convicted by the Supreme Court in the 'Druking comment manipulation case.'
Earlier, Kim Kyung-soo, who was sentenced to two years in prison by the Supreme Court for conspiring with 'Druking' Kim Dong-won and his associates to manipulate public opinion for former President Moon Jae-in's election, was exempted from serving the remaining sentence in the New Year's special pardon by the Yoon Seok-yeol administration in December 2022 but was not reinstated.
Just before being re-incarcerated following the 2021 Supreme Court ruling, Kim said, "I want to clearly state once again that the truth as it is cannot be changed just because it was not revealed." After his release through the 2022 pardon, he remarked, "It was like forcibly receiving a gift I did not want."
The Ministry of Justice held a pardon review committee on the 8th and decided on the list of candidates for the 'Liberation Day special pardon and reinstatement,' including former Governor Kim, to be submitted to President Yoon Seok-yeol. The Liberation Day pardon and reinstatement proposal is scheduled to be presented at the Cabinet meeting on the 13th, with Cabinet approval and the president's final endorsement remaining. However, since Leader Han, head of the ruling party, has expressed opposition to Kim's reinstatement, attention is focused on President Yoon's final decision as the pardoning authority.
A Presidential Office official told Yonhap News regarding Leader Han's known opposition, "Pardons and reinstatements are the exclusive authority of the president," and dismissed the matter by saying, "Nothing has been decided yet." Assemblyman Kwon Seong-dong said in a call with Yonhap News, "If there are opinions on the president's exercise of pardon authority, it is customary and appropriate for the ruling party leader to privately convey them to the Presidential Office," adding, "I am very concerned that this might escalate into a conflict between the party and the government again."
A pro-Yoon faction lawmaker said, "When the president talks about party management, there is an uproar about interference in party affairs and no opinions are allowed, so why does Leader Han himself show behavior that infringes on presidential authority?" emphasizing, "Pardons and reinstatements are the president's authority." A pro-Han faction lawmaker argued in a phone call, "He did not officially express opposition but only stated his opinion," and questioned, "Are we to do nothing just because there are concerns about party-government conflicts?"
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