South Korea’s former President pardoned while serving 22-year prison term

Current President Moon Jae-in, 68, has pardoned Park Geun-hye, 69, while the former President was serving a 22-year prison term. The 69-year-old was convicted in 2018, after being impeached the previous year, making her South Korea‘s first democratically-elected leader to be forced out of office.

In 2018, Ms Geun-hye was found guilty of 16 out of the 18 charges, with the majority related to bribery and coercion.

However, the former President has denied these charges.

Ms Geun-hye was the first woman to be elected president as well as the first female President popularly elected as head of state in East Asia.

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Justice Minister Park Beom-Kye told a briefing: “We’ve included former President Park to overcome unfortunate past history, realise people’s unity and provide a chance to take a new step forward to the future.”

Ms Geun-hye is the daughter of late authoritarian President Park Chung-hee, who was assassinated in 1979.

The Justice Ministry revealed on Friday Ms Geun-hye’s pardon is aimed at promoting national unity following difficulties caused by the Covid pandemic.

She was on a list of people receiving special amnesty and was pardoned from “a perspective of national unity”, Mr Beom-kye told reporters following the ministry’s announcement.

Local news agency Yonhap reported the Justice Minister said the former President’s pardon was discussed during a two-day meeting of the ministry’s amnesty review committee earlier in the week.

He stated the health factor “was a very important criterion” in the decision.

It has been reported Ms Geun-hye has experienced health problems while in prison, including undergoing shoulder surgery.