By Lee Kyung-min
The government has decided to ease parole restrictions in an attempt to give convicted criminals a better chance of reintegrating into society, and to reduce overcrowding in prisons.
According to a judicial committee under the National Assembly, the Ministry of Justice adopted the measures this month.
Under the changed conditions, those who serve at least 80 percent of their prison sentence are eligible for parole. Currently, only those who complete more than 90 percent of their sentence are eligible for early release.
While high-profile figures such as politicians or executives of large corporations are likely to be subject to the eased measures, violent criminals including murderers and rapists will be excluded.
However, no high-profile figures currently in prison are likely to be reviewed for parole any time soon, the ministry added.
SK Group Vice Chairman Chey Jae-won has served 74 percent of his three-and-a-half-year prison sentence, and LIG Nex1 Vice Chairman Koo Bon-sang has served 77 percent of his four years.
The criminal law stipulates that parole is allowed for those who have served a third of their sentences.
However, the Park Geun-hye administration has vowed no leniency for business tycoons behind bars, restricting the parole conditions to those who have served more than 90 percent of their sentences.
Former Taekwang Group Chairman Park Yeon-cha was released from prison in July 2013 after fully serving out a term of two years and six months on a bribery conviction.
Also, former Vice Culture Minister Shin Jae-min was released in May after fully serving three years and six months in prison for bribery.
Insiders say that the measure is partly due to overcrowding in prison cells. As of August, 54,347 prisoners are held in 51 correction centers nationwide that only have a capacity of 45,490, exceeding the recommended population by 117 percent.
The justice ministry selects a certain number of parole candidates and refers them to a parole board committee which then conducts a review based on their in-prison behavior and the likelihood of them re-offending upon release. Parole decisions are then finalized by the justice minister.
The government has decided to ease parole restrictions in an attempt to give convicted criminals a better chance of reintegrating into society, and to reduce overcrowding in prisons.
According to a judicial committee under the National Assembly, the Ministry of Justice adopted the measures this month.
Under the changed conditions, those who serve at least 80 percent of their prison sentence are eligible for parole. Currently, only those who complete more than 90 percent of their sentence are eligible for early release.
While high-profile figures such as politicians or executives of large corporations are likely to be subject to the eased measures, violent criminals including murderers and rapists will be excluded.
However, no high-profile figures currently in prison are likely to be reviewed for parole any time soon, the ministry added.
SK Group Vice Chairman Chey Jae-won has served 74 percent of his three-and-a-half-year prison sentence, and LIG Nex1 Vice Chairman Koo Bon-sang has served 77 percent of his four years.
The criminal law stipulates that parole is allowed for those who have served a third of their sentences.
However, the Park Geun-hye administration has vowed no leniency for business tycoons behind bars, restricting the parole conditions to those who have served more than 90 percent of their sentences.
Former Taekwang Group Chairman Park Yeon-cha was released from prison in July 2013 after fully serving out a term of two years and six months on a bribery conviction.
Also, former Vice Culture Minister Shin Jae-min was released in May after fully serving three years and six months in prison for bribery.
Insiders say that the measure is partly due to overcrowding in prison cells. As of August, 54,347 prisoners are held in 51 correction centers nationwide that only have a capacity of 45,490, exceeding the recommended population by 117 percent.
The justice ministry selects a certain number of parole candidates and refers them to a parole board committee which then conducts a review based on their in-prison behavior and the likelihood of them re-offending upon release. Parole decisions are then finalized by the justice minister.
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