Unprincipled pardons lack public approval
In southern Seoul, a second trial is being held at the Seoul High Court on September 20, 2023. The trial is focused on former lawmaker Youn Mee-hyang, who is accused of embezzling donations intended to support survivors of the Japanese military's wartime sexual slavery.
Youn Mee-hyang, a prominent figure in South Korean politics, is no stranger to the courtroom. Previously, she was convicted of embezzling donations in a different trial.
Meanwhile, in a separate development, former South Korean Justice Minister Cho Kuk has been granted a special presidential pardon by President Lee Jae Myung in August 2025. This pardon cut short Cho's two-year prison term for charges including falsifying academic records to help his children enter prestigious schools and abuse of power.
The pardon has been met with controversy. Cho Kuk's case originally sparked major public debate starting in 2019 over issues of fairness and corruption amid South Korea's highly competitive educational environment and political polarization. The conservative opposition has criticized the pardon vehemently, accusing President Lee of abusing presidential powers and undermining fairness and common sense.
President Lee has framed the pardon as an effort to promote political unity and tolerance, granting amnesty to a broad list of 836,687 people including politicians across the spectrum. However, critics question whether pardoning Cho along with other controversial figures really furthers national unity or instead deepens divisions.
As the trials of Youn Mee-hyang and Cho Kuk unfold, the debates over justice, fairness, and the presidency's use of pardons continue to resonate in South Korea's polarized political landscape.
- Editorials and columnists across South Korea's media landscape are sharing their opinions on the ongoing trials of Youn Mee-hyang and Cho Kuk, with a particular focus on the issue of political corruption.
- As the second trial of Youn Mee-hyang, who is accused of embezzling donations for wartime sexual slavery survivors, begins, the debate about the role of education in shaping South Korea's policy-and-legislation and politics becomes more heated.
- In the midst of general-news coverage on Youn Mee-hyang's ongoing trial and Cho Kuk's controversial pardon, opinion pieces addressing the importance of maintaining fairness and transparency in the country's justice system are gaining prominence.
