By Lee Kap-soo

On the occasion of the Aug. 15 Liberation Day in 2023, the government granted special pardons to 2,176 people, including scores of business tycoons and owners of small and medium-sized enterprises, special consideration prisoners.

Among the beneficiaries are such conglomerate chairmen as Park Chan-koo, honorary chairman of Kumho Petrochemical Group; Lee Joong-keun, founder of Booyoung Group; and Chong Kun Dang Chairman Rhee Jang-han.

The special pardons will legally take effect at the beginning of Aug. 15, the Liberation Day anniversary that commemorates the end of Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.

These are the third presidential pardons since President Yoon Suk-yeol took office in May last year.

In addition, special reduction and exemption measures were implemented for a total of 811,978 people subject to administrative sanctions related to software, information and communication construction, passenger and cargo transportation, livelihood fishermen, and driver's licenses. Also, 821 exemplary prisoners were paroled to promote their early return to society.

The special pardons reinstate some of their rights restricted upon court sentences and allow them to resume business activities.

"The government step is designed to use the special pardons as an opportunity to muster national power and reinvigorate the economy," a government official said.

Former Gangseo Ward office chief Kim Tae-woo was also given a pardon and obtained his right to run in official elections. He was given a suspended prison term on charges of leaking official secrets from office.