President Yoon Suk Yeol recently granted a special pardon to former South Gyeongsang Gov. Kim Kyoung-soo on the occasion of Liberation Day. This decision reinstated Kim's rights to run for public office, despite objections from members of his ruling party. The special pardon was approved during a Cabinet meeting earlier in the day, after being recommended by a justice ministry panel the previous week. Kim Kyoung-soo, a close associate of former President Moon Jae-in, had been previously pardoned in December 2022, with five months remaining on his two-year prison term. This pardon allowed him to regain his civilian rights and potentially seek public office, a move that stirred controversy within political circles, with objections raised by ruling People Power Party chief Han Dong-hoon. Special pardons, which are within the president's inherent powers, have been traditionally granted to convicted politicians, business executives, and other offenders at the start of a new year or around Liberation Day to reward good behavior and promote national harmony.