South Korea: former president Park Geun-hye pardoned

Published on : 12/24/2021 – 8:12 AM

Former South Korean President Park Geun-hye, sentenced to 20 years in prison for a resounding corruption scandal that precipitated her impeachment in 2017, has been pardoned, the Minister of Justice announced on Friday (December 24th). Justice.

Park Geun-hye is on a list of those granted special amnesty and has been pardoned in “a perspective of national unity,” Minister Park Beom-kye told reporters. The amnesty will take effect on December 31, the justice ministry said.

The 69-year-old was serving a 20-year prison sentence for corruption and abuse of power, followed by two more years for violating electoral law.

>> To read: Park Geun-hye, fallen queen of South Korea

“We must overcome the pain of the past and move forward into the new era,” said President Moon Jae-in, who rose to power in the wake of impeachment in 2017. “Given the many challenges we face. faced, national unity and humble inclusion are more urgent than anything. “

Moon Jae-in also explained that Park Geun-hye’s declining health after five years in prison was part of the reason for his decision. The former president has been hospitalized several times this year and is currently in care in the capital.

“I express my deep gratitude to President Moon Jae-In and to the government authorities who decided to grant me amnesty despite many difficulties,” reacted the former president through an adviser, according to the news agency. Yonhap.

Park Geun-hye’s house seized

The first woman to be elected head of South Korea in 2013, Park Geun-hye was convicted in 2018 of receiving or asking for tens of millions of dollars from South Korean conglomerates, including Samsung Electronics, for sharing classified documents, to have put on a “black list” artists critical of his policy, or to have dismissed officials who opposed his abuse of power.

This scandal had thrown a harsh light on the troubled connections between these family conglomerates and political power.

>> To read: South Korea: behind Park Geun-hye, a scandal with multiple ramifications

When in January, the end of Park Geun-hye’s trial opened up the possibility of seeking a pardon, Moon Jae-in’s services replied that it was “not appropriate” to discuss amnesty at this time. Condemning a former president was “a lesson in history”, argued the presidency.

In March, South Korean prosecutors announced the seizure of the home of the former president, who had not paid the 16 million euros fine imposed for corruption.

South Korea is known for the severity of its justice against former heads of state. The four surviving former South Korean presidents were all sentenced after their terms ended.

With AFP