Samsung heir Lee granted presidential pardon

Seoul, Aug 12 (EFE).- South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on Friday granted a special pardon to Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong, who was sentenced in early 2021 to two-and-a-half years in prison over a bribery case involving former president Park Geun-hye.

Lee was paroled in August last year and his sentence officially ended on July 29, but he still needed a pardon to have his full rights restored.

His pardon was among 1,693, including that of Lotte Group chairman Shin Dong-bin, that Yoon made ahead of Monday’s Liberation Day, according to the government.

Other high-profile corruption cases, including that of ex-president Lee Myung-bak and a local governor, were left off the list.

“Key business people were included in the pardons in consideration of their roles in leading national growth through technology investment and job creation, given that the country badly needs to overcome an economic crisis,” a government official cited by the South Korean news agency Yonhap said.

During his remarks at the cabinet meeting, Yoon also expressed his hope that these special pardons will help stabilize the economy.

In South Korea, special pardons are often granted by presidents in commemoration of major national holidays, and the leaders of the country’s major conglomerates, known as “chaebol,” are often the beneficiaries of the pardons. EFE

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