By Rachel Lee
Opposition lawmakers proposed a bill Sunday to ban convicted politicians and business tycoons from presidential pardons in order to prevent the president’s abuse of authority.
“The special pardon should not be used as a means to whitewash conglomerate owners and the President’s aides and relatives,” said Rep. Lee Chan-yeol of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK), expressing hope for the revised bill to pass soon to prevent improper use of privileged sanctuary.
The proposal came days ahead of President Park Geun-hye’s plan to issue a special amnesty to mark the 71st anniversary of the Liberation Day on Aug. 15 from Japanese occupation to “unite people’s strength and give opportunities to rise again.”
According to the revision bill, public officials convicted of bribery and criminals sentenced for embezzlement and breach of duty are excluded from the pardon list. Those who took more than 30 million won in bribes and embezzled over 500 million won cannot be pardoned, as well.
It also bans those who violated the Public Official Election Act and the Political Fund Law.
The perpetrators of crimes against humanity ― including murders of civilians and human traffickers ― as well as criminals who fail to serve two-thirds of their prison terms will not be pardoned, according to the revision bill.
The opposition also seeks to forbid pardons for the president’s relatives and heads of government agencies and other civil officials directly appointed by the president.
The current Ministry of Justice-affiliated amnesty screening committee will belong under the President who will name judges of the committee, if the bill passes.
It also required official records of the screening process to be disclosed right after special pardons are carried out.
In Korea, the government traditionally grants amnesty on nationally significant days.
Park’s special pardon this month is the third of its kind since she took office in February 2013. The first two took place in January 2014 and August last year.
The President said the pardons will be issued to help overcome the economic crisis, indicating her plan to grant clemency to jailed tycoons.
The eyes of the business community are on who will be on the list of beneficiaries among well-known conglomerate ex-prisoners, which includes Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Seung-youn. In last year’s Aug. 15 pardons, one corporate leader, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, made the list.