"Political Build-Up" Alleged Behind Pardons
President Lee's Approval Rating Drops by 5 Percentage Points
Former People Power Party leader Han Donghoon expressed sharp criticism regarding the August 15 special pardon, in which a large number of controversial figures from the ruling bloc, including former Cho Kuk Innovation Party leader Cho Kuk and former lawmaker Yoon Mihyang, were pardoned and had their rights restored. Han interpreted this pardon as the beginning of a political calculation aimed at completely blocking any statements from Lee Hwayoung, the former Vice Governor for Peace of Gyeonggi Province.
Former People Power Party leader Han Donghoon expressed sharp criticism regarding the August 15 special pardon. Photo by Yonhap News
On August 15, Han wrote on his Facebook page, using strong language, "This is a build-up and a preliminary skirmish to create an atmosphere where anything goes in advance in order to pardon Lee Hwayoung (former Gyeonggi Province Vice Governor for Peace)." He further argued, "If Lee Hwayoung speaks out about the North Korea remittance bribery case and related matters concerning President Lee, this administration could collapse." Han also stated, "The court has not set a trial date for President Lee, but that does not mean the trial has been completely halted," adding, "Therefore, preventing Lee Hwayoung from speaking out is likely the administration's top priority."
He also asserted, "Lee Hwayoung is likely hoping to get out of prison, even if it means threatening to 'speak out' against the Democratic Party administration." Han added his analysis: "However, since there is overwhelming evidence against Lee Hwayoung, there is no way for the court to acquit him. Therefore, the only way for Lee Hwayoung to get out of prison is for President Lee to grant him a pardon." Han strongly criticized the Democratic Party's "Task Force to Respond to Political Prosecution Fabrication" and visits to the detention center to meet Lee, interpreting them as mere attempts to appease Lee Hwayoung.
Han also emphasized the need for institutional safeguards to ensure judicial fairness. He insisted, "We must push for a legal amendment to prohibit pardons in cases where the president is an accomplice," predicting, "Although the Democratic Party administration will oppose this, their justification for opposition is too weak, and the public will see right through it, so they will face insurmountable difficulties."
Furthermore, Han pointed out the risk that this pardon could even raise suspicions of ties to North Korea. He warned, "This administration may be vulnerable not only to Lee Hwayoung, but also to Kim Jong Un of North Korea, who received money from Lee Hwayoung," and added, "If things go wrong, Kim Jong Un or Kim Yo Jong could reveal in detail how they received that money." Han predicted, "This could become a major reason why the Lee Jaemyung administration might excessively cater to North Korea in its North Korea policy going forward."
Presidential Job Approval Drops to the 50% Range
Amidst the ongoing controversy over political pardons, President Lee Jaemyung's approval rating has fallen into the 50% range for the first time. According to a Gallup Korea poll conducted from August 12 to 14, immediately after Liberation Day, the president's approval rating stood at 59%, a drop of 5 percentage points from the previous survey. The main factor cited for the decline was the Liberation Day special pardon. Meanwhile, public opinion was sharply divided over the pardon of former leader Cho Kuk, with 93% of respondents who viewed President Lee's performance negatively expressing opposition to the pardon.
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