The Presidential Office noted on the 4th regarding the Liberation Day special pardon that it is "listening to various opinions from all walks of life." As the Ministry of Justice prepares to hold a pardon review committee on the 7th to select candidates for the pardon, this official position from the Presidential Office comes amid growing calls from the ruling camp for a special pardon for former Rebuilding Korea Party leader Cho Kuk.
Presidential Office Spokesperson Kang Yu-jeong issued a statement containing this information in the afternoon. This follows the earlier revelation that Song Eon-seok, the Emergency Response Committee chairperson and floor leader of the People Power Party, requested special pardons for certain opposition figures directly to Deputy Minister Kang Hoon. According to reports, Chairman Song sent a Telegram message to Kang, requesting pardons for Ms. Kim, spouse of former Incheon Mayor Ahn Sang-soo, as well as former lawmakers Jeong Chan-min, Hong Moon-jong, and Sim Hak-bong.
Chairman Song conveyed the names of Ms. Kim and three former lawmakers and said, "Thank you." When Deputy Minister Kang asked, "Is that all?" he replied, "This is all I have heard so far." Ahead of the Ministry of Justice's pardon review committee, the Presidential Office is gathering political opinions regarding candidates for the Liberation Day pardon. Within the ruling party, there is keen interest regarding the inclusion of former leader Cho and former Seoul Superintendent of Education Cho Hee-yeon, as well as Song Young-gil of the Pine Tree Party.
Spokesperson Kang said during a briefing that day when asked about related questions, "Regarding the pardon, it is my understanding that discussions are still only circulating in relation to social minorities and civil pardon cases." He further stated, "Even this has not yet resulted in discussions about specific targets for civil pardons going up the chain," and remarked, "There is no clear discussion circulating regarding the pardon of politicians."
The Ministry of Justice's pardon review committee is chaired by Minister Jeong Seong-ho and consists of a total of nine commissioners. They will participate in the review to comprehensively evaluate the details of the crimes, sentences, and attitudes while serving to select candidates for the special pardon. Once the review is complete, the Minister of Justice will report the results to the president, and after deliberation and resolution by the Cabinet, the president will make the final decision on the candidates.
◇The shaking ruling party of Cho Kuk, deep concerns in the Presidential Office
The pardon for former leader Cho Kuk is a contentious issue even within the ruling party. The second-ranking figure in the state's protocol hierarchy, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, visited the incarcerated former leader Cho, and active lawmakers from the Democratic Party of Korea and Rebuilding Korea Party are also publicly demanding the pardon. The Presidential Office has distanced itself from this matter. This is due to his conviction for educational corruption and the fact that he has only served a quarter of his sentence. This would also conflict with President Lee's emphasis on 'fairness.' There are concerns that this could accelerate a decline in approval ratings at a time when it is critical to maintain political momentum.
President Lee has proclaimed 'unity' since the presidential election campaign. To pardon former leader Cho, there needs to be a corresponding special pardon from the conservative camp to maintain balance. However, as investigations into former President Yoon Suk-yeol are ongoing, it is not easy to find an appropriate individual. Calculations within the ruling party are also complex. If the publicly recognized former leader Cho makes a comeback, competition within Honam in the local elections next year will be inevitable. This indicates that the Democratic Party's leadership must also consider the political advantages and disadvantages in the second year of their administration.