SEOUL (UCAN) - The Catholic Church in South Korea has criticized President Kim Dae-jung's pardon of his predecessor's son, alleging that it violated the principle of equity and was made with political interest.
Bishop Ignatius Pak Seok-hi of Andong said on Aug. 15 that "in a constitutional state the exercise of the right to pardon should be based on truth, respect for the law and justice." The head of the Catholic bishops' Committee for Justice and Peace, Bishop Pak alleged that the amnesty law has been abused for political reasons. Kim Hyon-chol was convicted in June 1997 of accepting 6.6 billion won (then about US$8 million) during 1993-1996 from six businessmen seeking government favors.
His father, Kim Young-sam, was president 1993-1998. The Seoul district court sentenced Kim Hyon-chol to two years in prison, but he was freed after six months while he appealed his case.
His conviction and sentence were confirmed by the Seoul appellate court in June 1999. He could have appealed to the Supreme Court but chose not to, and within two months, Kim Dae-jung pardoned him from the 18 remaining months of his prison term, against opposition from civic and rights groups. The pardon was part of a traditional amnesty on Liberation Day, Aug. 15.
This year the amnesty affected 2,864 people who were either pardoned, had sentences commuted or reduced, or had forfeited civic rights restored. Bishop Pak criticized the amnesty given to the former president's second son as "partial."
He noted in his statement that Kim Hyon-chol's crime was not committed in allegiance to his conscience. Moreover, Kim Hyon-chol has not made a great contribution to society, nor has he repented for his wrongdoing, the bishop added. His statement warned that if special amnesty was granted to Kim Hyon-chol just because "he is a powerful politician's son" or because of President Kim's personal relationship, "this ignored the principle of equity and also abused the right to pardon."
It expressed appreciation, however, that five prisoners sentenced to death had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment, which it said would "help elevate the image of the country as one that respects human rights." The statement urged the government to establish criteria for impartial enforcement of the law for all people and not to abuse the right to pardon.
UCAN (25. august 1999)
25. august 1999