Conflicting Views Between Ruling and Opposition on 'Kim Kyung-soo Lottery'... Lee "Requested Through Various Channels" vs. Ruling Party "No Such Request"

Disagreement Exposed Over Lottery Inside Passport
Han Dong-hoon Opposes, Yongsan Says "Presidential Authority"

Former Gyeongnam Governor Kim Kyung-soo, who is departing the country, is greeting acquaintances at Incheon Airport on June 14. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The political repercussions surrounding the reinstatement of former Gyeongnam Governor Kim Kyung-soo on Liberation Day continue to unfold both inside and outside the political sphere. Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, stated that "requests for Kim's reinstatement were made to President Yoon through various channels," but the ruling party explained that "the reinstatement was a scheduled step" and "no such request was received." President Yoon is expected to approve the special pardon and reinstatement plan for Liberation Day, which includes former Governor Kim, in the near future.

On the 11th, a ruling party official said regarding Kim's reinstatement, "In December 2022, it was decided to pardon the remaining sentence of former Governor Kim," adding, "It was decided to separate the reinstatement this year to avoid influencing the April general election." The official explained that Kim's reinstatement had been tentatively decided at the time of the pardon of the remaining sentence, and therefore there were no objections to Kim's reinstatement during this Ministry of Justice pardon review committee meeting.

Regarding the claim that candidate Lee requested Kim's reinstatement, the official also said, "No such request was received." Earlier, after the Gyeonggi primary held at Bucheon Gymnasium during the '8.18 Party Convention,' Lee told reporters, "I have requested (President Yoon) to reinstate Kim through various direct and indirect routes." The ruling party official acknowledged that the Democratic Party likely mentioned reinstatement to the People Power Party around the time of the pardon review committee meeting but said, "That did not influence the conclusion at all." This is interpreted to mean that it is unclear through which route Lee's side made the request, and even if they did, it had no impact.

Former Governor Kim was convicted by the Supreme Court in July 2021 to two years in prison for conspiring with 'Druking' Kim Dong-won and his group to manipulate public opinion from November 2016 to help former President Moon Jae-in win the election. Under the Yoon Seok-youl administration, Kim was granted a special pardon in December 2022, exempting him from serving the remaining five months of his sentence, but he was not reinstated. As a result, Kim's eligibility to run for office is restricted until December 2027.

People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of the 8th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

It is reported that there are somewhat differing positions between the ruling party and the presidential office regarding Kim's reinstatement. This comes after Han Dong-hoon, leader of the People Power Party, expressed opposition to Kim's reinstatement, to which the presidential office responded, "Pardons and reinstatements are the president's exclusive authority." The presidential office maintains that "the Liberation Day special pardon and reinstatement process is ongoing and the recipients have not been finalized," but appears to react somewhat sensitively to Han's opposition.

Meanwhile, the special pardon and reinstatement list also includes former Blue House senior secretaries Cho Yoon-sun and Hyun Ki-hwan from the Park Geun-hye administration, former policy coordination secretary Ahn Jong-beom, and former National Intelligence Service Director Won Sei-hoon from the Lee Myung-bak administration. After returning from summer vacation, President Yoon will review and approve the final pardon and reinstatement list. The recipients will be finalized after the Cabinet meeting on the 13th.