Convicted Businessmen May Get Pardons

It was found out on Thursday that five economic organizations, including the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), officially asked Cheong Wa Dae to pardon and reinstate 55 businessmen.

Dong-A Ilbo exclusively received the list of businessmen who were included in the request. The list included many incumbent and retired corporation owners, including former Chairmen Park Yong-oh and Park Yong-sung, former Vice-chairman Park Yong-maan of Doosan Group, Chairman Chang Sae-joo of Dongkuk Steel Mill, Honorary Chairman Chang-wook of Daesang Group, Chairman Chung Mong-won of Halla Engineering & Construction, Chairman Cho Dong-man of Hansol I Globe, Honorary Chairman Kim Suk-won of Ssangyong Cement Industrial Company, and former Chairman Choi Won-suk of Dong Ah Group.

Eight former executives of the Daewoo conglomerate, who received sentences for the Daewoo crisis, which followed the economic crisis of the late nineties, were also on the list.

Eight businessmen who received sentences for violating political funding laws, including former Chairman Goh Bung-woo of Dong Ah Construction Industrial, Chairman Moon Byung-wok Sun & Moon Group, and Chairman Park Won-yang of Sammi Construction were listed as well.

Former Chairman Son Kil-seung of SK Group, Chairman Chey Tae-won of SK Group, former Chairman Kim Woo-choong of Daewoo Group, and Chairman Kim Suk-joon of Ssangyong Engineering Construction were excluded, because their cases were still pending in court.

KCCI gathered opinions from four economic organizations including the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) before finalizing the list on Wednesday, and formally presented it to Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday.

However, the three brothers who own Doosan Group were included in the list just six days after they received sentences after a trial on an appeal case, expecting more controversy.

FKI announced, “We put businessmen who received sentences for violating laws by performing obsolete and irrational business practices on the list. Although it might be seen as controversial, we tried to benefit as many businessmen as we could.”

Jeong-Hun Park sunshade@donga.com