Park denounces Lee's planned special pardons as abuse of presidential power

President-elect Park Geun-hye strongly denounced special pardons that outgoing President Lee Myung-bak is expected to issue this week, saying Monday that the move runs counter to public sentiment and amounts to "abusing" presidential power.

The unusually sharp criticism, which came just two days after Park's transition team publicly expressed opposition to the apparent pardon plans, is likely to intensify the brewing tensions between the outgoing and incoming presidents.