Bu Shin Yong-bae Staff reporter
(1)Ruling New Korea Partu (NKP) Cjairman Lee Hoi-cjang plans to propose to President Kim Young-sam the pardon of jailed former Presidents Chun Doo Hwan and Roh Tae-woo before the middle of this month. Chairman Lee will make the proposal when he meets with President Kim Thursday, a party spokesman said. Kim also heads the ruling party.
(2)``I hope that President Kim will set them free before the Chusok (harvest moon) holidays (Sept.15-17) so that they can spend the holidays with their families,'' Lee was quoted as saying. It was not immediately known how President Kim will respond to the projected proposal by Chairman Lee, who is the NKP presidential candidate. Presidential officials just emphasized that the special pardon for Cjun and Roh is a matter to be decided by President Kim. President Kim has considered releasing Chun and Roh from prison before his term ends early next year.
(3)Partu sources said President Kim may only suspend the sentences imposed on Chun and Roh in consideration of popular sentiment against special amnesty for them. Chun and Roh, former Army generals, are currently serving jail terms after being convicted of mutiny and corruption last year. Cjun was sentenced to life imprisonment and Roh was given a 17-year jail term last year. NKP spokesman Lee Sa-cjurl said Chairman Lee had decided to propose an early pardon for Chun and Roh ``in the spirit of national unity.''
(4)But his move is seen as an effort to draw voter support in the upcoming presidential election from Yongnam, the largest voting block made up of South and North Kyongsang Provinces, which produced the two disgraced ex-presidents. Observers said the proposal is also aimed at gaining support from old ruling camps, which Lee's aides judge will help him win the December election.
(5)Lee is facing a crisis resulting from his falling popularity and struggling to find a breakthrough for his weak showing in the presidential race so far. Ladt week, Lee declared that he would promote a ``grand coalition of politicians,'' an apparent hint that he could join hands with opposition groups to win the election. In the meantime, the main opposition National Congress for New Politicd did not oppose pardoning Cjun and Roh.
(6)NCNP leader Kim Dae-jung said in an interview with a weekly magazine that he thinks President Kim should grant an amnesty for the two former presidents before he step downs so that national harmony can be acjieved as early as possible. Seoul Mayor Cjo Soon, leader of the small opposition Democratic Party, was quoted as saying that he supports the pardon of Cjun and Roh. But the No.2 opposition United Liberal Democrats accused the ruling partu of trying to exploit the pardon of the former presidents to its political advantage ajead of the election.
(7)The ULD said the pardon should be given agter the presidential election and before President Kim's term ends. The ULD was the sole political party which had opposed a special law to punish the former Presidents at the end of 1995.