Two ex-Samsung execs dropped from upcoming presidential pardons

Left: Choi Gee-sung, former head of Samsung’s now-disbanded Future Strategy Office. Right: Chang Choong-ki, former deputy head of the group’s now-disbanded Future Strategy Office.

The Ministry of Justice’s review of candidates for special presidential pardons ahead of Liberation Day on August 15 has excluded key political figures and two former executives of Samsung Group, who were implicated in a bribery scandal involving former President Park Geun-hye.

The Justice Ministry convened a special pardon review committee on Wednesday, consisting of nine members, including Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon.

While this round of pardons is anticipated to primarily focus on business figures, the exclusion of the Samsung executives Choi Gee-sung and Chang Choong-ki is particularly noteworthy.

Choi Gee-sung, former head of Samsung’s now-disbanded Future Strategy Office, and his former deputy, Chang Choong-ki, have been dropped from the list of beneficiaries for Liberation Day pardons, according to sources.

An Chong-bum, a former senior presidential secretary for policy coordination, is also not expected to be on the pardon review list. He served under the Park Geun-hye administration and was charged with abuse of power.

Left: Booyoung Group Chairman Lee Joong-keun. Right: Park Chan-koo, honorary chairman of Kumho Petrochemical.

This round of special amnesty, which would be the third time President Yoon Suk Yeol will be granting presidential pardons, is expected to mainly focus on businesspeople including Booyoung Group Chairman Lee Joong-keun, Park Chan-koo, honorary chairman of Kumho Petrochemical, and Lee Ho-jin, former chairman of Taekwang Group. These businessmen were convicted on charges of embezzlement.

Others on the list included Chong Kun Dang Chairman Lee Jang-han, who was sentenced to prison for his repeated verbal abuse of personal drivers over the years, and Dong-A Socio Holdings Chairman Kang Jeong-seok, who served a two-and-a-half-year sentence for providing illegal rebates to doctors.

They are currently banned from working in their respective industries for five years after completing their sentences, but after reinstatement, they will be able to return to management positions.

Kim Tae-woo, the former head of the Gangseo District Office, who was convicted in May of this year of leaking official secrets and lost his post after exposing alleged corruption at the Cheong Wa Dae Special Investigation Team during the Moon Jae-in administration, was reportedly included in the amnesty because he was a whistleblower in the public interest. In addition, small businesses that were punished for violating quarantine rules during the Covid-19 outbreak are also expected to be pardoned.

The finalized roster of individuals to be granted special pardons will be submitted to President Yoon for approval and subsequently undergo the Cabinet’s review before the pardons become effective at midnight on Liberation Day.