Former Party Leader Cho Kuk [Yonhap News Photo]

(Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Ko Dong-wook, Seol Seung-eun, Hwang Yoon-gi = Former Democratic Party leader Cho Kuk has been included in the list of candidates for the August 15th Liberation Day special pardon.

This raises the possibility of Cho's return to politics as the first special pardon recipient of the Lee Jae-myung administration, approximately eight months after his imprisonment.

While the pardon still needs to go through procedures such as review by the Ministry of Justice and approval by the State Council, it is understood that the selection of candidates for pardons of politicians with high public interest is made in consultation with the Presidential Office.

According to political and legal circles on the 7th, Cho Kuk was included in the list of candidates to be reviewed by the Ministry of Justice's Pardon Review Committee, which was held this afternoon.

If Cho is selected as a candidate for pardon and restoration of political rights during the committee's discussion, Minister of Justice Jung Sung-ho will submit the results to President Lee Jae-myung.

The list will be finalized after deliberation and approval at the State Council meeting scheduled for the 12th.

Presidential Office Spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung stated at a briefing today, "Official announcements will be made after the pardon recipients are deliberated and approved by the State Council, and the President's final decision on exercising his pardon power will be made during that process." She added, "The finalized list will be known around the time of the State Council's approval and the subsequent announcement."

However, given that Cho is on the Ministry of Justice's review list, it is speculated that he is effectively proceeding with the pardon and restoration of political rights process.

This analysis is based on the understanding that the Presidential Office, after communicating with the Ministry of Justice's Prosecution Bureau, forwards the list of candidates to the Ministry of Justice, implying President Lee's intentions are reflected in the Pardon Review Committee's candidate list.

As pardon is the President's inherent authority, the possibility of the Pardon Review Committee excluding Cho against President Lee's wishes is considered slim.

If Cho is pardoned and his political rights are restored after President Lee's final decision, he will be released approximately eight months after his imprisonment on December 16th of last year. With the restoration of his political rights, the constraints on his political activities are also expected to be lifted.

He was serving a two-year prison sentence after being found guilty of charges including corruption in his children's college admissions and the attempted cover-up of a presidential office inspection.

Leading up to the Liberation Day special pardon, there have been successive requests from political and religious circles to President Lee for Cho's pardon.

On the 5th, former President Moon Jae-in also conveyed his sentiment through presidential aide for political affairs Woo Sang-ho, suggesting, "If politicians are to be pardoned, shouldn't Cho also be included?"

However, with the opposition parties strongly opposing Cho's pardon and opinions within the Democratic Party suggesting it could be a disadvantage for the upcoming local elections, President Lee has been in deep deliberation.

Ultimately, it is interpreted that President Lee is leaning towards pardoning and restoring Cho's political rights, finding justification in the context of "ending internal strife" and "restoring damage caused by the abuse of power by the 'Yoon Seok-yeol prosecution'."

Meanwhile, it is reported that former Gyeonggi Province Peace Vice Governor Lee Hwa-young was not included in this Ministry of Justice review list.

This is believed to be due to the fact that the trial related to President Lee's case involving Vice Governor Lee is currently suspended in court, and there's a consideration that overly broadening the scope of pardons to include those with significant remaining sentences could invite unnecessary political controversy.

Vice Governor Lee was indicted on charges of receiving hundreds of millions of won in bribes from the Ssangbangul Group and conspiring in an $8 million remittance to North Korea. In June, the Supreme Court finalized his sentence at seven years and eight months in prison.

sncwook@yna.co.kr

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