Cho Kuk? Cho Hee-yeon? Who will be the first special pardon of the Lee Jae-myung government?

[Financial News]  As the Ministry of Justice's Pardon Review Committee convenes on the 7th, attention is drawn to who will be included in the first special pardon list of the Lee Jae-myung government. Former leader of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, Cho Kuk, and former Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon are mentioned.

The Ministry of Justice will hold a pardon review committee at the Government Complex Gwacheon from 2 p.m. to review candidates for the August 15 Liberation Day special pardon.

The pardon review committee consists of internal members from the Ministry of Justice and the prosecution, including Minister of Justice Jeong Seong-ho, Prosecutor General Seong Sang-heon, and Prosecutor Cha Beom-jun of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, along with more than four external members.

Through the committee's discussions, candidates for pardon and reinstatement are narrowed down, and Minister Jeong submits the results to President Lee Jae-myung. The final decision is made after deliberation and resolution at the Cabinet meeting on the 12th.

The biggest focus of this special pardon is whether former leader Cho Kuk of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party will be included.

Former leader Cho was sentenced to two years in prison for charges including corruption in his child's college admission and covering up Blue House inspections, and is currently serving his sentence. He is expected to be released in December next year, with more than a year remaining on his sentence.

President Lee is reportedly deliberating until the last minute on whether to include politicians in the pardon list, and if so, whom to pardon.

In addition, former Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon is mentioned as a potential pardon candidate in political circles.

Former Superintendent Cho was indicted for abusing his authority to appoint five dismissed teachers between October and December 2018 and was sentenced to one year and six months in prison with a two-year probation by the Supreme Court last year, losing his position.

Recently, former Gyeonggi Province Peace Vice Governor Lee Hwa-young, who directly requested pardon and reinstatement, is also of interest as a potential special pardon candidate.

Former Vice Governor Lee was convicted of receiving billions of won in bribes from the Ssangbangwool Group and conspiring to send $8 million to North Korea, with a total sentence of seven years and eight months confirmed by the Supreme Court last June.

However, as President Lee was also indicted in the same case and the trial is suspended, there is a forecast that the possibility of inclusion in the pardon list is not high, considering potential political controversy.

Recently, a scene was captured where Song Eon-seok, acting chairman and floor leader of the People Power Party, sent a text message to Kang Hoon-sik, the presidential chief of staff, mentioning the names of former lawmakers Jeong Chan-min, Hong Moon-jong, and Sim Hak-bong.

However, as this is the first pardon since President Lee's inauguration, there is speculation that the focus will be on recovering the people's livelihood economy and protecting the socially disadvantaged.

There is also speculation that a large number of construction union and cargo union workers, who were imprisoned during the Yoon Seok-yeol administration for collective strikes, may be included.kyu0705@fnnews.com Kim Dong-kyu Reporter