Documentary photo of Park Geun-hye, former president of South Korea, (L), being escorted by prison guards as she arrives at the Seoul Central District Court in Seoul, South Korea on August 25, 2017.
Seung-il Ryu | NurPhoto | beautiful pictures
South Korean President Moon Jae-in has pardoned former President Park Geun-hye, who is serving time in prison after being found guilty of corruption, the Justice Ministry said on Friday, amid a tense presidential race. straight.
Park, 69, became South Korea’s first democratically elected leader to be removed from office when the Constitutional Court upheld a parliamentary vote in 2017 to impeach her over a scandal. He also made the head of two corporations, including Samsung Electronics, in prison.
She was demoted after being found guilty of colluding with a trusted man to receive tens of billions of won from large corporations to help support her family and fund non-profit foundations she owned.
In January, South Korea’s top court upheld Park’s 20-year prison sentence for pairing that caused her breakdown, ending legal proceedings and raising the possibility of parole for the first time.
But Park’s predecessor, Lee Myung-bak, who was also jailed for corruption, was not pardoned.
“We have included former President Park to overcome the unfortunate past, realize people’s solidarity and provide the opportunity to achieve a new step in the future,” Justice Minister Park Beom said. -Kye spoke at a press conference.
The decision comes as many supporters and politicians of the opposition Conservative Party of the People’s Government are calling for Park to be pardoned before the presidential election in March.
Moon’s ruling Democratic Party flag bearer, Lee Jae-myung, and People’s Power candidate Yoon Suk-yeol have been seen in recent polls.
Opposition lawmakers say Park suffered health problems while in prison, including having shoulder surgery.
