Justice ministry to review pardon beneficiaries, including ex-governor, ex-presidential secretary

The justice ministry on Thursday was scheduled to review beneficiaries of special presidential pardons to be granted on the occasion of Liberation Day next week, including a former South Gyeongsang governor and a former presidential secretary.

President Yoon Suk Yeol will grant special pardons mostly to those convicted of livelihood-related crimes and others in commemoration of the Aug. 15 national holiday, the fifth round of such special pardons since his inauguration in 2022.

The justice ministry's eight-member pardon review committee, including Minister Park Sung-jae and five outside members, was scheduled to convene at 2 p.m. to review the qualifications of pardon beneficiaries.

Among the candidates under review are former South Gyeongsang Gov. Kim Kyoung-soo, a close associate of former President Moon Jae-jin, and Cho Yoon-sun, a former senior presidential secretary for political affairs during the Park Geun-hye administration.

Kim, a close confidant of former President Moon Jae-in, was previously pardoned in late 2022 while serving a two-year prison term in an online public opinion rigging case. The pardon at that time fell short of reinstating his rights, barring him from running for public office until December 2027.

Cho served a prison term of one year and two months in a high-profile blacklisting case involving dissenting cultural figures.

The two, if granted pardons, will have their full rights reinstated.

After the review, the justice minister will refer a list of pardon beneficiaries to the president, who will then finalize the list with Cabinet approval. (Yonhap)