Former South Korean President Lee Myung-bak has been granted a presidential pardon, cutting short his 17-year prison sentence for corruption.
South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol granted Lee’s pardon on Tuesday as part of the East Asian country’s customary mass pardons around national holidays.
In 2018, the former Chief Executive of Hyundai Engineering and Construction, who served as president between 2008 and 2013, was found guilty of bribery and theft.
The allegations against him included that he had taken bribes from major corporations like Samsung and had embezzled money at one of his companies, and entered policies on the strength of his commercial success.
In October 2020, the Supreme Court of South Korea affirmed a 17-year sentence for Lee, reinstating him in custody after a lower court had authorized his release on bail.
The former South Korean president was granted temporary release in June after prosecutors said his health had deteriorated significantly.
During his presidency, Lee led South Korea out of the global financial crisis with the economy relatively unscathed, but he faced serious tensions with North Korea as well as criticism for suppressing critics.
Source : Aljazeera news
