7,200 Gain Amnesty in S. Korea

President Roh Tae Woo, a day after taking office in South Korea’s first peaceful presidential transition, announced a sweeping amnesty today for 7,200 jailed or banned people, including 1,712 political prisoners, the government said.

The announcement of the amnesty for both political prisoners and convicted criminals was the first concrete sign that Roh is moving to keep his promise to promote reconciliation with the opposition. Most of the 1,700 political prisoners were released in an amnesty last July, but about 100 new political prisoners will be released and the rest will have their civil and political rights restored, news reports said.