South Korea’s jailed ex-president gets presidential pardon

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on Tuesday granted his special pardons to former President Lee Myung-bak as well as some other politicians and former government officials, according to the Ministry of Justice, Report informs, citing Xinhua.

Lee, who had served a single, five-year presidency until February 2013, was sentenced in October 2020 to 17 years in prison for bribery and embezzlement, but his sentence has been put on hold since June for his health problems.

With the special pardon, which will be effective on Wednesday, Lee will be exempted from serving the remaining 15 years in prison.

It marked the second presidential pardon that Yoon has granted since he took office in May.