Ahn Cheol-soo: "President Lee, Do You Not Regret Last Year's Liberation Day Pardon for Cho Kuk?"

"Within a Year of Pardon, Cho Kuk Becomes a 'Democratic Party Sniper'"

"Lee Continues to Make Wrong Choices, Shattering Public Trust"

Ahn Cheol-soo, a member of the People Power Party, questioned President Lee Jaemyung on social networking services (SNS), asking, "Do you not regret last year's Liberation Day pardon for Cho Kuk?"

Screenshot of Ahn Cheol-soo, Member of the People Power Party's Facebook page

On his Facebook page on August 15, the 81st anniversary of Liberation Day, Assemblyman Ahn wrote, "On last year’s Liberation Day, I personally opposed the pardons for Cho Kuk and Yoon Mee-hyang in front of President Lee. It was because this act damaged the spirit of liberation." He continued, "Nevertheless, President Lee proceeded with the pardon, and within a year of being granted clemency, Cho Kuk became a 'Democratic Party sniper,' working tirelessly in response to criticism from the government and the ruling party."

Ahn also stated, "He (Cho Kuk) ran in the Pyeongtaek by-election, effectively giving the People Power Party one more valuable seat, and now, by criticizing matters such as the 'tax reforms that fell short of expectations,' the 'Samnik leverage failure and the responsibility of Kim Yongbeom,' he continues to provide us with ammunition through his words." He further added, "He even subjected innocent idol dialects to what he called 'Ilbe identification,' showing a willingness to engage in coarse ideological vetting."

He then asked, "On this day, one year later, does President Lee not regret the Liberation Day pardon?" and "Are you still confident that it was the right decision?" During last year's Liberation Day celebration, Assemblyman Ahn stood up in the middle of President Lee's commemorative address and protested with a banner that read, 'Oppose pardons for Cho Kuk and Yoon Mee-hyang.'

Former leader of the National Innovation Party, Cho Kuk, was released from the Southern Seoul Detention Center in Guro-gu, Seoul on August 15 last year under the special pardon and reinstatement measure for Liberation Day. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Cho Kuk, former leader of the National Innovation Party, was released from prison on August 15 last year through President Lee’s special Liberation Day pardon and reinstatement. Before his release, he had been imprisoned for eight months on charges including admissions fraud involving his children and suppressing a Blue House inspection. After his release, he ran in the June 3 by-election for a National Assembly seat representing Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, but was defeated and subsequently stepped down as party leader.

Ahn stated, "From the pardons for Cho Kuk and Yoon Mee-hyang, the Samnik leverage delisting, the scrapping of the ISA reform, the repeal of the 6070 Seoul elderly tax law, and most recently, the youth non-apartment loan issue—I have pointed out President Lee’s demerits every time. But since wrong choices keep being made, hasn't public trust in you been shattered?"

He went on to add, "President Lee, I urge you to revisit last year’s Liberation Day. Understand that the stubbornness and arrogance that began with those wrongful pardons have led to today’s calamity."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.