Prosecutors will decide today (28th) whether to suspend the execution of former President Lee Myung-bak (81), who is serving his sentence at Anyang Prison in Gyeonggi Province.
Earlier this month, former President Lee, who had been hospitalized and discharged from the hospital even while in prison due to chronic diseases such as diabetes, submitted an application for suspension of execution to the Anyang Branch of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office due to deterioration in health.
This afternoon, the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office deliberates on applications for suspension of execution of sentences in the jurisdiction, including former President Lee.
The Deputy Chief Prosecutor is the chairperson of the Penalty Administrative Suspension Deliberation Committee, and the outside committee consists of 5 to 10 members from academia, legal circles, medical circles, and civic groups.
The Deliberation Committee will review not only former President Lee but also other applications, so it will take some time before a final decision is reached.
It is known that the period of suspension of execution for former President Lee will be discussed at the Deliberation Committee.
If the Deliberation Committee decides whether to suspend the execution of the former President, the Suwon District Prosecutor's Office will make a final decision and notify the result to the Anyang Branch in charge of the area where the Anyang Prison is located, which will deliver it to the former President.
It is known that former President Lee has been hospitalized at Seoul National University Hospital since last week due to health problems.
Former President Lee was arrested in March 2018 while being investigated by the prosecution on charges of embezzlement and bribery, and after serving a year in prison, he was released on bail in March 2019.
After being tried without detention, he was sentenced to 17 years in prison in February 2020, but was released again after six days as he appealed again against the decision to cancel the bail.
After that, former President Lee, whose sentence was confirmed by the Supreme Court in October 2020, was imprisoned at the Seoul Eastern Detention Center on November 2 of that year, and then transferred to Anyang Prison after the outbreak of the Corona 19 cluster infection at the correctional facility.
In December 2020, while he was imprisoned in a detention center in eastern Seoul, he applied for suspension of execution due to concerns about COVID-19, but was denied.
The Criminal Procedure Act provides for ▲ when there is a risk that the execution of the sentence will significantly harm health or prevent life from being preserved ▲ age 70 or older ▲ pregnancy 6 months or older ▲ senior lineal ascendant or a person who will protect the child’s lineal descendants Seven reasons, including when there is no such thing, are stipulated as the conditions for suspension of execution of imprisonment.
(Photo = Yonhap News)