By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter

President Lee Myung-bak plans to give special pardons to a large number of people June 3 on the occasion of the first 100 days of his presidency, a Cheong Wa Dae source said Sunday.

Those who committed crimes to survive economic difficulties or people who were convicted of minor traffic offenses will be the beneficiaries of the envisaged pardons, the source said on condition of anonymity.

The main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP), however, denounced the proposed amnesty as a ``political maneuver'' to help increase the falling approval rating of the President and his Grand National Party, following a strong public backlash over the decision to open the beef market to U.S. products amid growing fears about the safety of American cuts.

Those considered ``good conduct prisoners'' are also to be released on parole, the source said.

The exact scale, however, has not been decided yet, he said, adding the Ministry of Justice is reviewing the details.

``It is a general practice that the government grants a special pardon in the early stages of its term as part of efforts to promote social harmony,'' said the source.

Another government official said high-profile politicians and business tycoons in prison would not be eligible for the special pardons. But many observers expect Cheong Wa Dae to pardon the heads of some of the nation's major conglomerates given that Lee has pledged to ease rules for entrepreneurs to boost the economy.

Those expected to be included in the pardons are Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Seung-youn, who was given a suspended jail term and community service for his involvement in a revenge attack for a bar brawl involving his son, and the former and current heads of SK Group ― Son Kil-seung and Chey Tae-won, who were indicted on corruption charges, they said.

Chey, the head of the country's fourth largest family-owned conglomerate, recently withdrew his appeal of an appellate court's verdict convicting him of fraud and embezzlement, raising speculation that he was seeking a special pardon.

The Seoul High Court found Chey guilty of accounting fraud and embezzlement, and sentenced him to three years in prison, suspended for five years. The appellate court also gave a suspended prison sentence to Chey's predecessor, Son, and imposed fine of 40 billion won ($38 million). The top court said Son also withdrew his appeal last month.

Both appealed and were released on bail later in 2005. The trial against Son and Chey started in 2003 after a civic group raised allegations of corruption.
Special pardons that can abolish sentences handed down to certain people are the President's right as authorized by the Constitution. Some Presidents, however, have often abused the system, especially during previous authoritarian governments, as a means of enabling preferential judicial treatment for their followers.

Lee's predecessor Roh Moo-hyun was also criticized for abusing his authority of special amnesty during his tenure. Roh gave special pardons to many political confidants who had violated the Election Law or had been involved in illegal fund-raising during the 2002 presidential campaign, such as Chyung Dai-chul.

Chyung led the election campaign for Roh in 2002. He was sentenced to five years in jail in January last year for receiving illicit slush funds amounting to some 900 million won ($860,000) from businesses.

gallantjung@koreatimes.co.kr