Justice Ministry approves parole for Yoon's mother-in-law
![President Yoon Suk Yeol’s mother-in-law Choi Eun-soon enters the Euijeongbu District Court on July 21, 2023. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/05/08/de1d8ed2-fd32-457e-ac48-9042d46d40d6.jpg)
President Yoon Suk Yeol’s mother-in-law Choi Eun-soon enters the Euijeongbu District Court on July 21, 2023. [NEWS1]
Choi, 77, was found guilty by a court last year for document forgery and purchasing land under someone else’s name.
The Ministry of Justice unanimously decided that Choi was eligible for parole during its parole review held at the Gwacheon Government Complex in Gyeonggi on Wednesday afternoon.
“Considering her overall age, prison term, performance during imprisonment, health condition and risk of repeated crime, Choi was unanimously determined eligible for parole by the parole review committee, with over half its members from outside the Justice Ministry,” the government organization said.
Following the decision, Choi will be discharged from prison earlier than scheduled at 10 a.m. on May 14, a day before Buddha’s Birthday, if Justice Minister Park Sung-jae gives final approval for parole.
On April 23, Choi’s parole was put on hold by the Ministry of Justice after conducting its regular parole review.
In 2013, Choi falsified her bank statement, which stated she had 34.9 billion won ($25.5 million) in deposits, to purchase real estate in Dochon-dong in Seongnam, Gyeonggi.
She was also charged for using another person’s name when purchasing property.
Choi has been imprisoned at the Seoul Dongbu Detention Center since July 21, 2023. She was taken into custody after the appellate court upheld the ruling of a one-year prison sentence.
BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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