South Korea’s current leader issued a special pardon for former conservative president Lee Myung-bak, who had been serving a 17-year sentence for corruption that could have kept him behind bars into his 90s.
Yoon Suk Yeol issued the pardon for Lee, 81, on Tuesday that will be effective the following day, the Justice Ministry said in a statement. Lee becomes the fourth former president to be issued a pardon since the country’s advent to full democracy in 1987.
Lee rose from poverty to become a high-flying executive at Hyundai Engineering & Construction, gaining popularity as a self-made man amid the country’s surging economic growth after the Korean War. Lee, who refused to attend his trial, accused prosecutors of carrying out political revenge on behalf of President Moon Jae-in’s liberal government.
Before leaving office earlier this year, Moon issued a pardon for former conservative President Park Geun-hye, releasing her from prison after she spent nearly five years behind bars of a 22-year sentence for corruption. She served after Lee and before Moon and was convicted of criminal charges including bribery, extortion and abuse of power.
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