EX-PRES. PARK GEUN-HYE PARDONED

[Anchor Lead]

President Moon Jae-in on Friday granted a special pardon for former President Park Geun-hye. He said national unity and inclusiveness is necessary and the health condition of the former leader who served behind bars for nearly 5 years was also considered. Former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook is also exonerated but ex-President Lee Myung-bak is excluded from the latest pardons.

[Pkg]

​On Friday, the government held a Cabinet meeting and approved a special New Year’s pardon for ex-President Park Geun-hye. She will be released from prison on December 31. President Moon said the decision was reached so as to move forward from past pains into a new era and join hands for the future. He added that national unity and inclusive society are imperative and the health condition of the former leader who served time for nearly 5 years was also considered.

[Soundbite] Park Kyung-mee(Presidential spokesperson) : "The top office hopes the pardons can serve to bring in a new era of unity and reconciliation that transcends different thoughts and opposing views."

Park was imprisoned in March 2017 over a corruption and influence peddling scandal. Included in the Moon administration’s fifth special pardons, she is being released after four years and nine months. She received treatment multiple times for shoulder and back pain and has been hospitalized at Samsung Medical Center since November 22. Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook has been granted pardon as well. The Supreme Court sentenced her to two years in prison and 883 million won in forfeiture in August 2015 for receiving illegal political funds. Former President Lee Myung-bak was not included in the special pardons.