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Why did Moon Jae-In pardon former president Park Geun-Hye in 2021?
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Moon Jae-In
South Korea's 12th president, Moon Jae-In, 2017.
In December 2021, President Moon Jae-In issued a special pardon for former president Park Geun-Hye, who was serving a 20-year prison sentence for corruption.12
Although Moon had previously ruled out the possibility of a pardon, he ultimately cited two primary reasons for his decision:
* Declining Health: Park’s deteriorating physical condition was a significant factor in the administration's decision to grant the release.2
* National Unity: Moon expressed a desire to foster greater unity within the country by pardoning the disgraced former leader.2
Following the pardon, Park was released from prison on December 31, 2021.1