2.98 million to be released under Lunar New Year special pardon

The government announced a special Lunar New Year pardon for businessmen, former high-ranking officials, and politicians, including SK Group Executive Vice Chairman Chey Jae-won, LIG Chairman Koo Bon-sang, former Presidential Chief of Staff Kim Ki-chun, and former Minister of National Defense Kim Kwan-jin. This is the fourth special pardon under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration. A credit recovery plan for 2.98 million people with a history of minor delinquency was also included.

Vice Chairman Chey, who was sentenced to prison for embezzlement of affiliated funds, and Chairman Koo, who was sentenced to prison for accounting fraud and involvement in fraudulent bill issuance, were each eligible for special pardons. Former Presidential Chief of Staff Kim, who was sent to trial for the 'blacklist in the cultural sector' case during the Park Geun-hye administration, recently gave up on appeal and was sentenced to two years in prison. Former Minister Kim, who was sentenced to two years in prison last year on charges of ordering comment manipulation to the military cyber command, was also eligible for a special pardon.

Eight former high-ranking public officials, including Kim Dae-yeol, former Chief of Staff of the Defense Security Command, who were indicted on charges such as 'investigation of Sewol Ferry victims' families, were also listed on the special pardon list. Seven politicians, including former Saenuri Party (now People Power Party) lawmaker Lee Woo-hyun, who was sentenced to seven years in prison on charges of illegal political funds, and former Democratic Party lawmaker Shim Ki-jun, who received a suspended sentence on charges of illegal political funds, were also included in the list.


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