LIBERATION DAY AMNESTIES

[Anchor Lead]

The presidential office and the Ministry of Justice are preparing to grant amnesties on LIBERATION Day. Samsung Electronics vice chairman Lee Jae-yong is among the most likely candidates. Former President Lee Myung-bak and former Gyeongsangnam-do Province governor Kim Kyung-soo could also receive amnesty this time around.

[Pkg]

The presidential office staff says President Yoon has ordered reviews of Independence Day amnesties. The presidential office and the justice ministry are drafting a list of those who could potentially receive special pardons in August. Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, who has been paroled, is among the most likely candidates. A high-ranking official from the presidential office said in a phone interview that the focus of Independence Day amnesties will be on the economy because of the tough economic situation the country faces, and Lee Jae-yong should also be grated amnesty for that very reason. PM Han Duck-soo also added that considering pardons for business figures would not run counter to the public sentiment and the current economic situation. Sources say the list of those subject to amnesty includes former President Lee Myung-bak and former Gyeongsangnam-do Province governor Kim Kyoung-soo.

[Soundbite] Yoon Suk-yeol(President(June 9)) : "Incarcerating a former president for more than 20 years is not right judging from precedence."

The presidential office says Lee and Kim were included on the list as a gesture of promoting national unity, but the final decision has yet to be reached. It added that the meaning of amnesty could be distorted if it's based on political reasons. The presidential office is apparently concerned about political interpretation that Kim's amnesty could trigger ahead of the Democratic Party convention. The Ministry of Justice will finalize the list of candidates after holding a meeting of its deliberation committee in early August and discussing the matter with the presidential office. The final say will be on President Yoon, because he's the only one who has the authority to decide who receives the special pardon. The president's decision will likely be determined by the economic situation in the country and public opinion.