"My Mom Must Have Committed a Grave Sin"… Jeong Yura Furious Over 'Kim Kyungsoo's Pardon'

Choi Soon-sil Not Included in Pardon List... Kim Kyung-soo Reinstated

Jung Yoo-ra, daughter of Choi Seo-won (formerly Choi Soon-sil), who is serving a sentence for the state corruption scandal during the Park Geun-hye administration, expressed anger at the reinstatement of former Gyeongnam Governor Kim Kyung-soo, saying, "What grave sin did my mother commit to deserve this?"

Jung Yoo-ra, the daughter of Choi Seo-won (formerly Choi Soon-sil), who is serving a sentence for her involvement in the state affairs manipulation scandal during the Park Geun-hye administration, expressed anger over President Yoon Suk-yeol’s approval of the August 15 special pardon, which included the reinstatement of former Gyeongnam Governor Kim Kyung-soo.

On the 13th, Jung confessed on her Facebook, “It’s so hard and painful that today is truly the hardest day to endure in these 8 years.” She continued, “Especially this time, I was told to tell my mother that the pardon would be granted, but this is how it ended,” adding, “I would rather go to prison and have my mother released; that would bring me more peace of mind.”

Jung criticized, “Those who attacked the government without remorse or acknowledgment?Song Young-gil, Park Young-soo, Jung Kyung-shim, and Kim Kyung-soo?have all regained their freedom through parole, bail, pardon, and reinstatement,” and questioned, “How am I supposed to understand that my mother and I, who supported the government, have become fools?” She added, “I just want to give up everything, but I’m thinking about applying for a stay of execution. I’m afraid even that won’t be granted, and if so, I don’t think I can endure it, so I don’t even have the courage to apply.”

Earlier, the government approved a special pardon plan that pardoned, reinstated, and reduced sentences for 1,219 people, including politicians, former public officials, businesspeople, and low-income criminal offenders. High-ranking officials from the Park Geun-hye administration, such as former senior secretaries Cho Yoon-sun, Hyun Ki-hwan, and former policy coordination secretary Ahn Jong-beom, who were sentenced to prison for the state affairs manipulation scandal, as well as former National Intelligence Service Director Won Sei-hoon from the Lee Myung-bak administration, were included in the special pardon and reinstatement list.

Meanwhile, Choi, Jung’s mother, was sentenced to 21 years in prison in June 2020 for abuse of power and obstruction of the exercise of rights and is currently incarcerated at Cheongju Women’s Prison. Without parole, Choi will be released at the age of 85 upon completing her full sentence.