Pardons for national unity

It is right to exclude corrupt politicians, businesspeople

President Moon Jaein granted special pardons to 4,378 people, mostly those convicted of minor crimes for the sake of their livelihood, Tuesday on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the March 1 Independence Movement of 1919. The amnesty beneficiaries included 107 offenders found guilty of having engaged in illegal protests against previous governments.

The presidential pardon and reinstatement of ex-convicts were good enough to meet the public's expectations as the beneficiaries are mostly those who violated laws in relation to activities to earn their bread and butter. That's why Moon excluded those who were convicted of five grave charges, including bribery, influence-pedding, dereliction of duty and embezzlement.

The government appeared to have racked its brains over the socpe of the presidential pardons in order to promote national unity in celebration of the independence movement. It was right to exclude some high-profile politicians such as former Prime Minister Han Myeongsook, former Gangwon Province Governor Lee Kwangjae and Lee Seokki, formor lawmaker of the disbanded Unified Progressive Party, who were often mentionde as possible candidates for the special amnesty.

Fortunately, the presidential office has managed to avoid unnecessary ideological conflicts and social division by not pardoning corrupt politicians and businesspeople as well as those involved in violent anti-government rallies.

Of course, there must be a critical view of the amnesty for those convicted of violent and illicit activities at various protests related to the deployment of a U.S. missile defense system on Korean soil, the construction of a naval base in Gangjuong Village on Jeju Island and the Sewol ferry sinking, to name a few.

It is a good decision for the government to have excluded those who used firebombs or injured other people in violent demonstrations.

It is also good news that the Amnesty Commission, an advisory organization under the Ministry of Justice, played an important role in selecting the beneficiaries of the special pardon, even though the amnesty is a prerogative of the President.