Lawmakers of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) expressed mixed views Friday about a highly anticipated special presidential pardon of a former South Gyeongsang governor and his potential return to politics.

Gov. Kim Kyoung-soo, a close associate of former President Moon Jae-jin, is set to be among the beneficiaries of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s special pardon to be granted next week on the occasion of Liberation Day.

In a party where the majority of lawmakers align with former DP leader Lee Jae-myung, observers say Kim is considered a rallying point for the non-Lee faction lawmakers and a potential presidential candidate that can unite those aligning with former Presidents Moon and Roh Moo-hyun.

Kim was released from prison under a special pardon in late 2022 while serving a two-year prison term for online opinion rigging ahead of the presidential election in 2017.

But the pardon at that time fell short of reinstating his rights, barring him from running for public office until December 2027. If h
is rights are reinstated as part of next week’s pardon, he will be able to run in the next presidential election set for March 2027.

“It’s unclear whether former Gov. Kim will run for governor of South Gyeongsang again or play a significant role in the party but he should be reinstated to allow him to participate in political activities,” Rep. Kim Doo-gwan, a candidate running for DP leader, said on a YouTube channel of local cable channel MBN.

A pro-Moon faction lawmaker agreed that Kim could play a crucial role in uniting the non-Lee faction but was careful not to jump to conclusions, saying public opinion will eventually decide whether he will run for the presidency.

Meanwhile, pro-Lee lawmakers voiced skepticism over whether Kim holds that level of political influence.

“In the end, politics is a battle of influence over the public and we’re not sure if Kim has such solid political assets,” a pro-Lee lawmaker told Yonhap News via phone.

The ruling People Power Party (PPP) said Kim’s return could serve
as an important opportunity for partisan cooperation.

“If former Gov. Kim is pardoned despite his past convictions and returns to politics, that in itself will mark the beginning of partisan cooperation,” PPP spokesperson Rep. Kwak Kyu-taek told reporters at the National Assembly.

Source: Yonhap News Agency