Does CEO President Pardon CEOs En Masse?
By Jane Han
Staff Reporter
President Lee Myung-bak may have to play some favorites when he comes back from his five-day vacation next week. At his desk will be a long list of convicted businessmen ― many of his friends ― pleading for a special pardon for the first time since the ``CEO President'' took office in February. Cheong Wa Dae confirmed the amnesty, but the question is the scope.
The presidential office has been careful about approaching the special pardon, to be granted on the occasion of Liberation Day on August 15, largely due to public disapproval and criticism over Lee's policies seen only friendly to businesses.
However, on Thursday, the head of one of the nation's most influential business lobby groups added pressure to the president by previewing what the business circle has in mind.
Sohn Kyung-shik, the chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), told reporters that the country's top five business groups are preparing a joint list of some 70 figures, including SK Chairman Chey Tae-won and Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Mong-koo.
``We're going to submit the names to Cheong Wa Dae before the end of this week at the earliest,'' said Sohn, who expressed hopes that the president would offer more pardons this time around.
Such pardons are common, as the government traditionally grants amnesties a couple of times a year to businessmen for their contribution to economic development and efforts, which arguably work, to make up for their faults.
Lee has so far granted amnesty to 150 people on June 3, celebrating his 100th day in office, and also pardoned 2.8 million people, mostly traffic offenders. However, no politicians and corporate executives were included.
The most recent pardon handed to tycoons was December 2007, when former president Roh Moo-hyun, who was a liberal populist, granted amnesty to 11 chaebol-related figures.
Businesses lobbies say they are anticipating a much higher number, considering the new president's corporate background and longstanding relationships with business leaders.
``He'll still have to make careful choices since the public may react badly at a time when there's extreme resentment toward the government,'' said Kim Jung-mo, a political consultant.
Cheong Wa Dae officials, however, say that they expect a significant number of tycoons to benefit from the upcoming pardon, but the evaluation process has not been completed yet.
Among the mentioned names, Chey and Chung are garnering the most attention, as both are top figures that recently received suspended sentences from the court for embezzlement and accounting fraud.
Besides the two, business lobby groups have called for pardons for Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Seung-youn; former Dongah Group Chairman Choi Won-seok; former Jinro Group Chairman Chang Jin-ho; and former Haitai Group Chairman Park Gun-bae.