The amnesty will be effective as of December 31.
The South Korean government pardoned former president and former political rival Park Geun-hye, sentenced to more than 20 years in prison for a major corruption scandal, the Justice Minister said on Friday.
The 69-year-old former South Korean president is on a list of people benefiting from a special amnesty and was pardoned from “a perspective of national unity,” Minister Park Beom-kye told reporters.
Daughter of the military and former dictator Park Chung-hee, Park became the first woman to lead the country in 2013, presenting herself to the electorate as the model daughter of the nation, incorruptible and without debt to anyone.
But less than four years later, at the end of 2016, she was removed from office by the South Korean parliament after a corruption scandal that sparked strong protests in the streets.
“We must overcome the pain of the past and move into a new era,” said incumbent President Moon Jae-in, who came to power in 2017 fueled by public discontent against Park and his conservative party.
“Considering the many challenges we face, national unity and modest inclusion are more urgent than anything else,” Moon added.
The amnesty will be effective as of December 31, the Justice Ministry said.
“I express my deep gratitude to President Moon Jae-in and the government authorities,” Park said through an aide, according to the Yonhap news agency.
The former politician was serving a 20-year prison sentence for accepting bribes and abuse of power, and another two years for violation of electoral law after a scandal that exposed the murky ties between politics and business in the country.
In 2018, she was found guilty of asking South Korean conglomerates, including Samsung, for tens of millions of dollars to share secret documents, compiling a “blacklist” of artists critical of her policy, or firing officials who opposed her abuses. of power.
The current president, with more progressive positions, explained that Park’s deteriorating health after five years in prison weighed on the decision. Throughout this year, the former leader had been hospitalized on several occasions.
In January, when the end of the judicial process against Park opened the possibility of requesting a pardon, the office of the presidency indicated that “it was not appropriate” to discuss the amnesty.
In March, the South Korean prosecutor’s office announced the seizure of the house of the former president, who had failed to pay the $ 19 million fine for corruption.
The country is known for the severity of justice with its former heads of state. Four former South Korean presidents have been sentenced after the end of their term.
Lee Myung-bak, the only former president still alive alongside Park, is serving a prison sentence for corruption. (I)
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