Former South Korean President Lee granted a special pardon

On Tuesday, December 27, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol granted a special pardon to former President Lee Myung-bak, who was convicted of corruption and other charges and who has been suffering from poor health in recent years.

The pardon was granted despite the fact that Lee Myung-bak was found guilty of these and other charges.

Lee, who is now 81 years old and served as president from 2008 to 2013, was found guilty of corruption, embezzlement, and bribery in 2018.

He has been serving a 17-year sentence since 2018, but he has been frequently freed momentarily for medical care.

The prosecution agreed to suspend Lee’s detention in June after he asked them to do so and cited his worsening health as the reason.

The remaining 15 years of the sentence will be null and void once the pardon takes effect on Wednesday.

When Yoon first exercised his clemency power after becoming president in May, it was previously anticipated that Lee would be granted a pardon at that time.

Lee is the fourth former President of South Korea to be sentenced to jail time. His successor, Park Geun-hye, was arrested in connection with a corruption scandal in 2017, which resulted in her resignation as president.

After spending almost five years behind bars, Yoon’s predecessor granted her clemency in the latter half of 2021.