Pardoned politicians regain eligibility

[Anchor]

Former Rebuilding Korea Party leader Cho Kuk, convicted of college admissions fraud, and former lawmaker Youn Mee-hyang, found guilty of embezzlement, have not only been pardoned but also reinstated, reopening the path for them to return to politics.

From the People Power Party, former lawmakers Hong Moon-jong and Jeong Chan-min, both convicted of bribery, were also pardoned and reinstated.

Baek In-sung reports.

[Report]

Cho Kuk, former leader of the Rebuilding Korea Party, was sentenced last year to two years in prison over charges including his children’s college admissions fraud.

[Cho Kuk/Former Leader, Rebuilding Korea Party/Dec. 2024: “I have things to say about the court’s findings and legal interpretation, but I will set them aside. I humbly accept this ruling.”]

The Supreme Court found Cho guilty of using false internship certificates and a fabricated award to fraudulently apply for his daughter’s admission to medical school.

He was also found guilty of taking an online exam in place of his son at George Washington University and of abusing his authority as presidential senior secretary for civil affairs to halt a special inspection of Yoo Jae-soo, former Busan vice mayor for economic affairs.

Former Democratic Party lawmaker Youn Mee-hyang, whose embezzlement allegations were sparked by testimony from comfort woman Lee Yong-soo, was also pardoned.

[Lee Yong-soo/“Comfort Woman” Victim/May 2020: “She used us elderly women for her own gain, shamelessly… Those were fake tears.”]

The Supreme Court confirmed Youn’s conviction for embezzling about 80 million won in donations to the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan, collecting condolence money in her personal account, and fraudulently obtaining over 60 million won in state subsidies by falsifying wage records.

From the opposition camp, Hong Moon-jong, a former Saenuri Party lawmaker, and Jeong Chan-min, a former People Power Party lawmaker, were included in the pardon list.

Hong was found guilty of accepting bribes—including the use of an expensive vehicle—through a consultancy contract with an IT company in 2013, as well as embezzling billions of won in school funds while serving as chair of Kyungmin Academy. He was sentenced to four years and six months in prison.

Jeong was convicted of arranging below-market property purchases for his elder brother and others in exchange for development project approvals while serving as mayor of Yongin in 2016, receiving a seven-year prison sentence and a five hundred million won fine.

This is KBS News, Baek In-sung.