A tete-a-tete between Prime Minister-designate Lee Wan-koo and Saenuri Party Chairman 

Kim Moo-sung.

The ruling Saenuri Party has decided to recommend to President Park Geun-hye to give special paroles and temporary releases to business leaders and other criminals serving terms in jail for crimes committed for the sake of their livelihoods, following a decision made by its Highest Operation Committee. Floor leader Lee Wan-koo explained that he will soon talk with the opposition on the matter at the Operation Committee meeting.

Rep. Suh Chung-won, the boss of the Pro-Park faction, said they should think about recommending special paroles for business leaders in jail.

“The economy is in bad shape, and we should think about gathering very good ideas in the party and think hard about giving paroles and temporary releases for business leaders and others in jail for crimes committed for the sake of get their livelihood, in the names of a grand union and harmony,” Rep. Suh said.

What Suh wanted to do was give support to the call made by Chairman Kim Moo-sung of the ruling party to grant parole to incarcerated business leaders and calm voices of opposition to the call. He also wants to increase the number of those who will get parole, and the areas that the parole will be applied to, in consideration of public feelings.

He wants to grant parole to not only businessmen, but general criminals and expand the legal benefit to secure harmony in the name of The Grand Integration of the People.

The ruling party floor leader Lee said he will try to negotiate with the opposition in the spirit of reviving the economy by granting parole to business leaders.

It is not clear yet what kind of reaction the idea would get from President Park and the opposition side. President Park granted parole to 5,925 people who violated laws in order to get money for their families, and those from poor families on Jan. 28 last year. But she never granted parole to politicians, businessmen and others in the position of social leaders.

After the Operation Committee’s meeting, Rep. Suh said that the proposal should get approval from the opposition side, adding that he is confident the opposition would agree with the idea if they are sincere in their efforts to help out the businessmen and poor people in jail because of the crimes they committed to secure living expenses within the boundary of laws and ask for their understanding. “I am sure they would agree with the idea,” Rep. Suh said.

He also said he is confident that ruling party leaders would recommend the idea to the president as the idea has already become a public matter.

At a media briefing, the ruling party spokesman, Park Dae-chul, said almost all of the participants at a closed meeting agreed that such action is necessary to fuel the economy, and also for a grand national union, at a time when the economy is not doing well.