The South Korean government has pardoned former president Lee Myung-bak, who was sentenced to 17 years in prison for corruption.
APA reports citing “NHK World” that the government pardoned more than 1,300 people, including Lee, who led the conservative government for five years until 2013.
President Yoon Suk-yeol told a cabinet meeting that he hoped the pardons would serve to unite the country.
Although the deputies of the ruling party appreciated the president’s decision and the goal of national unity, the opposition camp criticized this step, saying that it would revive corrupt forces.
It should be noted that Lee Myung-bak was accused of taking a bribe from “Samsung Electronics”. Due to his health, Lee was temporarily released from prison in June this year. He is 81 years old. Lee is the fourth former president of South Korea to be pardoned. Chun Doo-huan and Roh Tae-uoo were pardoned in 1997, followed by Park Geun-hye in 2021.