[Editorial] Pardons for power
Liberation Day on South Korea's political calendar has often doubled as a day for presidential pardons. The tradition is defended as a gesture toward national unity. This year, President Lee Jae Myung's first list of pardons since taking office was notable less for its length than for its politically insensitive timing and implications.
The list of beneficiaries announced Monday includes former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, convicted of academic fraud and abuse of power; his wife Chung Kyung-shim; and Yoon Mi-hyang, found guilty of embezzling donations meant for former wartime sex slaves.
The symbolism is awkward enough; the timing — barely two months into his presidency — makes it worse.
The official explanation was familiar: the need to heal divisions and revive the economy. Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho spoke of 'overcoming social conflict,' while the presidential office invoked 'dialogue and reconciliation.' Yet the list reads less like a unifying gesture than a political favor bank being settled. It grants political resurrection to figures whose crimes struck at the very values that any democratic administration must safeguard, such as fairness, probity and respect for law.
Cho Kuk's fall was swift and public. Once a celebrated law professor and a key ally of former President Moon Jae-in, he resigned as justice minister after 35 days amid allegations that he forged documents for his children's university admissions. Courts found him guilty; his daughter lost her medical license. Neither Cho nor his wife has meaningfully acknowledged wrongdoing or sincerely apologized.
Another controversial figure on the pardon list is Yoon Mi-hyang, who diverted funds intended for some of Korea's most vulnerable citizens — survivors of Japan's wartime sexual slavery — and ignored court recommendations to return the money.
The list extends beyond high-profile names. Former lawmaker Choe Kang-wook, who issued a false internship certificate for Cho's son, and former Seoul Education Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon, convicted of abusing his hiring powers, are also rehabilitated. The roll call includes politicians from both the ruling and opposition camps convicted of bribery and other crimes. Even SK Networks' former chairman Choi Shin-won, sentenced for embezzling billions of won, is restored.
Progressive advocacy groups have warned that the move risks inflaming, rather than easing, public sentiment. Notably, a Realmeter poll released Monday showed Lee's approval rating fell 6.8 percentage points from the previous week to 56.5 percent, marking the sharpest decline since he took office.
The irony is striking. Last year, as opposition leader, Lee criticized then-President Yoon Suk Yeol's pardons of conservative allies as an overreach of executive power, arguing that such decisions undermined the judicial process and weakened the separation of powers. By that same standard, Lee now faces similar criticism for his own pardons.
The symmetry of partisan indignation — condemning in opposition what one defends in office — is an enduring feature of Korean politics. It is also a principal reason presidential pardons have become public-trust poison.
Pardons, especially for politicians, must meet a high threshold: They should be rare, proportionate and broadly acceptable to the public. They are not tools for rewarding allies or neutralizing adversaries. When granted to figures who neither express remorse nor accept responsibility, they signal that political connection outweighs the rule of law.
President Lee's Liberation Day pardons may bring short-term political gains, but they undermine a far more precious asset: public trust in impartial justice and disciplined leadership. The damage extends beyond slipping approval ratings, already evident, and will reveal itself starkly in future crises when calls for fairness fall on deaf ears.
The enduring lesson, repeatedly ignored by successive administrations, is that without clear and transparent standards, presidential pardons become not symbols of unity but annual exercises in political hypocrisy, a legacy South Korea can no longer afford.
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Korea Herald
5 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Cho Kuk released after 8 months in prison under Liberation Day pardon
Cho Kuk, a former justice minister and leader of the minor Rebuilding Korea Party, was released from prison early Friday after serving eight months in jail over academic fraud involving his children and unlawful interference in a government inspection. Cho, who had previously served as a senior presidential aide to Moon Jae-in, left the Seoul Southern Detention Center in Guro-gu, western Seoul, at 12:02 a.m. Friday. He is one of the beneficiaries of a special pardon from President Lee Jae Myung granted ahead of the Aug. 15 National Liberation Day. South Korean presidents have traditionally issued pardons to commemorate important national holidays, such as Liberation Day, celebrating Korea's 1945 independence from Japanese colonial rule, to reward the good behavior of offenders and foster national harmony. The 60-year-old was put behind bars and began what was to be a two-year prison term on Dec. 16, 2024, after the Supreme Court upheld his conviction. 'My pardon, reinstatement and release will be recorded as a symbolic moment, marking the end of the prosecutorial dictatorship that has long abused its power,' Cho told reporters as he left the prison. 'The Rebuilding Korea Party fought against the Yoon Suk Yeol administration to end the prosecution dictatorship since its creation. Yoon's regime committed an anti-constitutional coup; it was repelled by the people.' He added, 'The far-right People Power Party, which still continues to protect Yoon, must face judgment once again.' Cho expressed the hope that democratic and progressive parties would work together, emphasizing that he would devote himself and contribute to this united front. He also expressed gratitude to President Lee. 'I deeply thank President Lee Jae Myung for making this constitutional decision. I listen with respect to those who have criticized my pardon,' he said. 'The Lee Jae Myung administration is created by the people's resistance and sovereignty. This administration must succeed and President Lee must become a successful president.' Cho insisted that he would accept all criticism, opposition and even slanderous remarks directed at him as he continues his political work. A total of 2,188 people with criminal convictions received a presidential pardon. Former Seoul education chief Cho Hee-yeon, who lost his seat after he was convicted of abusing his power in the process of hiring five teachers, and former Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Yoon Mi-hyang, who was handed down a suspended sentence for embezzling donations to the victims of sex slavery during Japan's colonial rule, were included among those pardoned. Though Cho Kuk was set to be barred from running for public office for five years after the completion of his two-year prison term -- meaning he would effectively be stripped of eligibility to run for office until December 2031, the presidential pardon removed the restrictions on his political activities as it restores his civil rights.
Korea Herald
6 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Full text: President Lee Jae Myung's national address on Korea's 80th Liberation Day
Below is an unofficial translation of President Lee Jae Myung's national address on Korea's 80th Liberation Day, as provided by the presidential office. — Ed. My fellow 52 million Korean citizens and 7 million Koreans overseas, decorated independence activists and relatives of the dearly departed, Eighty years ago today, we reclaimed the light that had been wrested from us. The light that once again touched our hearts and brightly illuminated every corner of the Korean Peninsula was not freely obtained. It was won through the dedication and sacrifices of countless individuals who risked their lives with an indomitable will for the sake of national liberation and a fervent desire to restore our sovereignty. Liberation Day is not simply the day we regained our independence. It is also the day we reclaimed the freedom and the right to determine our own future and choose the course of our lives. Over the past 80 years, the Republic of Korea has made remarkable progress. Among all the countries that gained independence from colonial rule, only Korea managed to achieve both industrialization and democratization simultaneously. We are now standing tall as an advanced democracy that has the world's fifth-strongest military and 10th-largest economy. Independence activist Kim Koo's dream of Korea becoming a cultural powerhouse is also coming true. People around the world are singing in our language and consuming our films, television dramas, comics, literature and other content. These achievements were made possible through the passion of independence fighters and patriotic forebears committed to building a strong and prosperous nation — one that will never again be taken away. As the ancient saying goes, 'When drinking water, remember its source.' It behooves us, as a nation enjoying freedom and prosperity, to honor the sacrifices and dedication of those who made the Republic of Korea what it is today. Honoring the proud history of our struggle against imperial Japan and upholding the prestige of decorated independence activists is how we protect our community's past, present and future. We must no longer tolerate any acts that deny the history of our independence struggle and insult our independence heroes. If we turn our backs on those who sacrificed themselves for us all, who will step forward when our community faces yet another crisis? The more deeply we honor and respect those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our community, the stronger our community will become. My administration will faithfully chronicle the history of our struggle for independence and remember it together with the people. We will treat our surviving patriotic heroes with the highest respect and further expand the scope of compensation for the bereaved families of decorated independence activists. The overseas remains of decorated independence activists will be repatriated as soon as possible. We will also work to identify any independence activists not yet formally recognized, ensuring that all are duly honored. My beloved fellow Koreans, our history has been long and winding, a challenging journey that culminated in the Revolution of Light. It has been a constant struggle to reclaim and safeguard the light that was taken from us. The great spirit of the March First Independence Movement gave rise to the Provisional Government, igniting and spreading the flames of our independence struggle across all of Korea and around the world. At last, we reclaimed our guiding light. Even amid the bleak, dark despair of national division and war, our people never lost hope. Even in the brutal chill of dictatorship, we managed to keep that precious light alive. The April 19 Revolution, the May 18 Democratization Movement and the June 10 Democratic Protest brought forth democracy's radiant light. Through the two peaceful, bloodless revolutions — unprecedented in world history — we showed the whole world that this land is a democratic republic where popular sovereignty truly reigns. The Revolution of Light that began last December and continued until April this year was a deeply moving time when the 'Lamp of the East' that Tagore once celebrated glittered with a multicolored display of cheering sticks. It was through darkness that we came to understand the value of light, and it was through light that we found the courage to confront darkness. We must stand together to ensure that the light reclaimed through liberation will never again be taken from us and that the light that survived dictatorship and insurrection will never be snuffed out. This, I believe, is the true fulfillment of the Revolution of Light and the way to repay our fallen heroes for their noble sacrifices. Fellow Koreans, even amid hardships, our ancestors dreamed of a prosperous, powerful nation — a world where everyone can thrive together. Even in the face of death, they championed peace in the East. Despite the wounds inflicted by aggression, they thirsted for the power of a sophisticated culture. However, our nation's unforeseen division became an obstacle that hampered their ardent aspirations. National division has not only severed our territory, but has become a massive barrier that divides our people. Forces seeking private gain have exploited this division to endlessly pit our people against each other and cause splits in public opinion. Having suppressed democracy and restricted popular sovereignty, they even made an atrocious attempt to embroil our nation in the ravages of war. Now, we must tear down our own inner barriers. Only then can we begin to create the nation our forebears envisioned. The bitter lesson we have learned over the past 80 years is that hatred, loathing, conflict and confrontation resolve nothing — they only pose grave threats to democracy and the people's lives. When we transform the dark energy of division and exclusion into the bright energy of inclusion, unity and solidarity, our society can take a giant step closer to a better future. In the face of crisis, our people have always risen above petty differences to unite as a greater whole. It was the Korean people who, overcoming the sorrow of losing their nation, gave their lives for independence; who rose from the ashes of war to accomplish a remarkable industrialization; who weathered the 1997 foreign exchange crisis through the gold collection campaign; and who safeguarded our constitutional order against an armed insurrection. Regrettably, however, our politics have failed to meet our people's expectations and standards. Now, we must change our political culture. When politics is once again about pursuing the public good rather than private gain, and when citizens are freed from the abnormal condition of worrying about politics, the entrenched barriers of conflict and hatred within us will also vanish. I would like to take this opportunity to once again urge everyone to work together and transcend divisive politics based on outdated ideologies and factionalism. I propose that we create politics of solidarity and mutual benefit founded on dialogue and concessions. Let's join hands and work to build the strong, prosperous nation our forebears longed for — a nation where everyone thrives together, a true democratic republic where popular sovereignty is fully realized. Fellow Koreans, the inter-Korean confrontation that has persisted due to division threatens our lives, constrains economic development and presents a serious obstacle to our country's future. Now is the time to move beyond outmoded Cold War mentalities and confrontation and usher in a new era of peace on the Korean Peninsula. Everyone knows that the long-drawn-out hostility benefits people in neither of the two Koreas. Through our history, we have bitterly experienced the misfortunes that arise when peace is disrupted. Peace is the foundation of a secure daily life, the bedrock of democracy and a prerequisite for economic development. More important than winning a fight and more important than winning without a fight is building a state where fighting is unnecessary — that is, creating peace. Inter-Korean dialogue, which had been maintained through countless ups and downs, was completely halted during the previous administration. The more tangled the thread, the more patiently, calmly and carefully we must work to unravel it. Before discussing the distant future, we must first immediately restore trust and revive dialogue. Trust is built through actions, not words. The current government of popular sovereignty took measures immediately after its inauguration. These included halting the launch of balloons loaded with anti-North leaflets and suspending loudspeaker broadcasts directed at North Korea. Going forward, our government will take consistent measures to substantially reduce tensions and restore trust. South and North Korea share a special relationship that involves pursuing peaceful reunification while respecting and recognizing one another's systems. Embodied in the Agreement on Reconciliation, Non-aggression and Exchanges and Cooperation between the South and the North, this spirit permeates all inter-Korean agreements — from the June 15th South-North Joint Declaration, the Oct. 4 Declaration of the Inter-Korean Summit in 2007 and the Panmunjom Declaration for Peace, Prosperity and Unification of the Korean Peninsula through to the Pyongyang Joint Declaration of September 2018. Our government will respect existing agreements and immediately implement any possible measures. First, we affirm our respect for the North's current system, aver that we will not pursue any form of unification by absorption and assert that we have no intention of engaging in hostile acts. In particular, to prevent accidental clashes between South and North Korea and to build military trust, we will take proactive, gradual steps to restore the Sept. 19 Military Agreement. Furthermore, in line with the principles of common interest, co-prosperity and mutual aid, we will strive to restore the basis for exchanges and cooperation and foster conditions for shared growth. Doing so may lead to substantial improvements in the lives of both South and North Koreans. With this year marking the 80th anniversary of liberation, now is an opportune time to end the era of confrontation and hostility and jointly usher in a new era of peaceful coexistence and shared growth on the Korean Peninsula. I hope that North Korea will reciprocate our efforts to restore trust and revive dialogue. A peaceful Korean Peninsula must be free of nuclear weapons and founded on friendly cooperation with neighboring countries. Denuclearization is a complex and difficult task that cannot be resolved quickly. However, inter-Korean and US-North Korea dialogue as well as international cooperation will help us approach a peaceful resolution. At the same time, we will strive to broaden international support and build consensus for peninsular peace and the advancement of inter-Korean relations. Fellow Koreans, this year marks the 80th anniversary of liberation and the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan. It is time to squarely face the past while also wisely stepping forward into the future. Given our countries' long, fraught history, redefining Korea-Japan relations is a crucial task. Some among us are still suffering from unresolved historical issues. As well, differing perspectives continue to spawn conflicts. At the same time, we still remember the dreams of our independence activists. Even while resisting Japan's harsh colonial rule, our forebears never lost hope that Korea and Japan could one day become true neighbors. We must preserve this aspiration. Japan is our neighbor across the sea as well as an indispensable partner in our economic development. When Korea and Japan normalized diplomatic relations 60 years ago, only about 10,000 people traveled between the two countries annually. These days, however, that figure has reached 12 million. Our national clout has also grown incomparably stronger than it was back then. Korea and Japan have achieved industrial development in tandem. As such, we will be able to overcome the challenges of the artificial intelligence era, which is marked by competition to secure a commanding lead, when our two countries pursue future-oriented cooperation based on mutual trust. Guided by the principle of pragmatic, national interest-focused diplomacy, we will seek forward-looking, mutually beneficial cooperation with Japan while holding frequent meetings and frank dialogues through shuttle diplomacy. The stronger the trust, the higher the quality of cooperation. I hope that the Japanese government will squarely face up to our painful history and strive to maintain trust between our two countries. I believe that such efforts will bring greater shared benefits and a brighter future for both sides. Fellow citizens, now we are all in the midst of a vortex of monumental changes. We must wisely navigate the polycrisis of realigned supply chains and sudden shifts in the trade order, the great industrial transformation driven by competition in cutting-edge technology and the energy transition necessitated by the climate crisis. The Korea-US tariff negotiations are just one wave in this storm. More waves will surge forward in quick succession in the months ahead. If we fail to properly respond to this rapidly changing order, our nation's future will become insecure and our people's lives will fall in jeopardy. In the past, we failed to keep up with the changing international trends and were caught between the great powers and pushed around, ultimately losing our sovereignty. We cannot repeat the mistakes of 120 years ago, in the Year of Eulsa. The year 2025 — also an eulsa year — has to be different. It is entirely up to us whether we are swept away by towering waves and shipwrecked, or whether we turn this crisis into an opportunity and surge ahead. Fall a single step behind, and you become a weary follower; move just half a step ahead, and you become a leader with boundless opportunities. We must actively respond to changes by fostering semiconductors, artificial intelligence and other types of cutting-edge science and technology. We must boldly usher in the future by accelerating the energy transition, including through initiatives like the Energy Highway. We must also further develop our culture and take the global lead in soft power. Only then can we usher in a new century of progress. The path ahead is uncharted, but we can succeed. The light of self-reliant independence that our forebears reclaimed and the light of democracy that our people achieved will guide our way forward. If our people's great potential is rekindled, we will be able to forge a path ahead without getting lost, just as we have managed to stay on course even in times of darkness. Let's move together to create a Republic of Korea that leads the world, a nation brimming with peace and prosperity, a nation where the light of popular sovereignty never dims. Thank you.
Korea Herald
6 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Lee says no plans to absorb N. Korea, urges Japan to face up to history for future
President Lee Jae Myung vowed to respect North Korea's system, in the latest of Seoul's reconciliatory moves to resume inter-Korean dialogue, in his speech to mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Korean Peninsula, Friday. "We affirm our respect for the North's current system, aver that we will not pursue any form of unification by absorption and assert that we have no intention of engaging in hostile acts," Lee said in the ceremony to commemorate the Liberation Day holiday at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul. This effectively reverses disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol's bid in 2024 to achieve a unified Korean Peninsula. Yoon had said, "The freedom we enjoy must be extended to the frozen kingdom of the North." Reversing Yoon's stance, Lee said that he would take "proactive, gradual steps" to restore the 2018 inter-Korean military pact that was suspended by the Yoon administration in 2024. This could be achieved through actions, such as Seoul's latest move to remove loudspeakers along the border aimed to the North. "Trust is built through actions, not words," he said. Stressing that now is the time to move beyond Cold War mentalities, Lee expressed the hope that Seoul's efforts to restore trust will yield corresponding measures from Pyongyang. "I hope that North Korea will reciprocate our efforts to restore trust and revive dialogue," Lee said. The liberal administration will also seek peace on the Korean Peninsula through denuclearization on the back of international support, Lee said, adding inter-Korean and US-North Korea dialogue could contribute to a peaceful resolution. Regarding the relationship with Japan, which Lee described as "an indispensable partner in our economic development," the liberal president highlighted a "long, fraught history" between the two countries, adding that unresolved historical grievances still haunt the relationship between the two countries. "It is time to squarely face the past while also wisely stepping forward into the future," Lee said. "I hope that the Japanese government will squarely face up to our painful history and strive to maintain trust between our two countries."
