SEOUL — The leader of South Korea's ruling People Power Party (PPP), Han Dong-hoon, has voiced opposition to a potential presidential pardon for former South Gyeongsang Province Governor Kim Kyung-soo, convicted in a case of online opinion rigging.
According to Yonhap News Agency, concerns were raised after Kim, a close associate of former President Moon Jae-in, appeared on a list of candidates for a special pardon by President Yoon Suk Yeol, scheduled for the upcoming Aug. 15 Liberation Day. The official expressed that reinstating the rights of someone who has shown no remorse for undermining democracy might not resonate well with the public.
Kim Kyung-soo was previously released from prison under a special pardon in late 2022, after serving part of a two-year sentence for his involvement in rigging online opinions ahead of the 2017 presidential election. However, that pardon did not restore his eligibility to run for public office, a restriction in place until December 2027.
The possibility of reinstating Kim's rights could enable him to participate in the next presidential election in March 2027. He is viewed as a unifying figure within the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), especially among members not aligned with former DP leader Lee Jae-myung.
The presidential office has tread cautiously around this politically sensitive issue, emphasizing that pardons and the reinstatement of rights fall under the president's authority. However, a senior presidential official indicated that no final decision has been made yet on this matter.