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Park Geun-hye, the former president of South Korea who is currently serving a 22-year prison sentence, is seen here entering Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital for treatment on July 20. (Yonhap News)

Former South Korean President Park Geun-hye, who is currently imprisoned in connection with a government influence-peddling scandal, will be released following a special pardon.

Former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook, who has already served out her sentence, also received an exoneration. Former President Lee Myung-bak was not included among those receiving pardons.

The Ministry of Justice announced Friday morning that special New Year’s pardons were being granted to 3,094 people, including those convicted of crimes of financial survival, prisoners eligible for special consideration, and those convicted of election-related crimes.

The list of those receiving pardons includes Park Geun-hye, who was incarcerated in March 2017 in connection with a government influence-peddling case. She has been in prison for four years and eight months after receiving a final sentence of 22 years on charges including influence-peddling and taking money in the form of “special activity funds” from the National Intelligence Service.

On Nov. 22, she was admitted to Samsung Medical Center in Seoul’s Gangnam District, where she has been undergoing treatment for shoulder and lower back pain.

Recently, reports that she also required dental and psychiatric treatment prompted some to speculate that she might receive a suspension of the execution of her sentence.

Han Myeong-sook, who served as prime minister during the Roh Moo-hyun administration, also received a reinstatement.

In 2015, Han’s sentence to two years in prison and 883 million won in penalties on charges of receiving 900 million won in illegal political funds was upheld by the Supreme Court. She finished serving that sentence in August 2017, but had been barred from elected office through 2027.

Not included among those receiving pardons was former President Lee Myung-bak, who received a final sentence of 17 years in prison on charges including the embezzlement of funds from the company DAS.

Minister of Justice Park Beom-kye explained that the decisions to exonerate Han and  pardon Park had come as a way to strengthen national unity in the face of the nationwide crisis brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

By Kang Jae-gu, staff reporter

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