Restoration of Rights Approved for Cho Yoon-sun, Hyun Ki-hwan, Won Se-hoon, etc.
Restoration of Former Governor Kim's Rights Sends Shockwaves Through Opposition
On the 13th, the government deliberated and approved the special pardon, commutation, and reinstatement agenda for Liberation Day, including the reinstatement of former Gyeongnam Governor Kim Kyung-soo. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo held a Cabinet meeting at the Government Seoul Office that morning and reviewed and approved the special pardon plan for Liberation Day, which was decided by the Ministry of Justice's Pardon Review Committee on the 8th. The list included former Governor Kim, former senior secretaries Cho Yoon-sun and Hyun Ki-hwan from the Park Geun-hye administration's Blue House, former Policy Coordination Secretary Ahn Jong-beom, and former National Intelligence Service Director Won Sei-hoon from the Lee Myung-bak administration.
In his opening remarks, Prime Minister Han said, "This pardon focuses on revitalizing our economy and promoting the recovery of ordinary citizens amid difficult domestic and international conditions. We carefully decided the targets and scope of the pardon by broadly collecting opinions from various sectors." He added, "We hope that the Liberation Day special pardon will provide an opportunity for social integration and harmony and contribute to the recovery of the people's economy." Since the special pardon plan was passed at the Cabinet meeting, President Yoon is expected to approve it soon.
The reinstatement of former Governor Kim has drawn attention because President Yoon and People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon held opposing views on the matter. Leader Han opposed the reinstatement, citing that former Governor Kim committed a serious crime that undermined election fairness and has not shown remorse. It is known that he conveyed his opposition to the Presidential Office through various channels. On the other hand, the Presidential Office has shown discomfort with Leader Han's objections, stating that "pardon is the president's exclusive authority" and that Kim's reinstatement was already decided during the commutation of the remaining sentence.
Both Leader Han and the Presidential Office agree that party-government unity is important and do not intend to escalate the issue further, but there is analysis that this matter could ignite future conflicts between Yoon and Han. The two, who have clashed repeatedly during the general election and party leadership election processes, recently strengthened their bond through dinners and private meetings, but the prevailing opinion is that the accumulated discord and distrust have not been completely resolved.
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]
In particular, some within the pro-Han (pro-Han Dong-hoon) faction see Leader Han's opposition as a signal that "the Presidential Office should not act arbitrarily in the future." A party official from the pro-Han faction said in a phone interview, "It is quite burdensome that the reinstatement issue is perceived as a conflict between Yoon and Han, but I think it is a normalization process toward a healthy party-government relationship." He added, "When the Presidential Office drifts away from public and party sentiment, it is the party's role to bring it closer. The party had failed to fulfill that role and was unilaterally led by the Presidential Office, but now the party leader is speaking his mind."
Former Governor Kim was sentenced to two years in prison by the Supreme Court in July 2021 for the 'Druking comment manipulation' case and served his sentence until he was pardoned in the New Year's special pardon of December 2022. However, he was not reinstated at that time. If the reinstatement is finalized, the restriction on his eligibility to run for office, which was until December 2027, will be lifted, opening the way for him to run in the 2026 local elections and the 2027 presidential election.
The return of former Governor Kim, regarded as a key figure in the pro-Moon Jae-in faction, is expected to have repercussions in the opposition camp as well. Lee Jae-myung, a candidate in the Democratic Party's next leadership election, has received overwhelming support with a cumulative vote share nearing 90%, but if former Governor Kim returns to politics, he could serve as a rallying point for the pro-Roh Moo-hyun and pro-Moon factions and rapidly emerge as an 'alternative to Lee Jae-myung.' Lee appears to recognize that Kim's reinstatement could trigger 'opposition division,' claiming that he "requested the Presidential Office for Kim's reinstatement" and attempting to prevent internal splits. However, the Presidential Office denied receiving such a request, sparking a dispute over the truth.
Meanwhile, at the Cabinet meeting that day, the government also approved the request for reconsideration of the 'Yellow Envelope Act (Amendment to the Labor Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act)' and the 'Universal 250,000 Won Support Act (Special Measures for the Payment of Livelihood Recovery Support Funds).' If President Yoon approves the request for reconsideration, the two bills will return to the National Assembly for a reconsideration vote. Since these bills were sent to the government from the National Assembly on the 5th, President Yoon can exercise his veto power until the 20th.
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