Current President Moon Jae-in, 68, has pardoned Park Geun-hye, 69, while the former President was serving a 22-year prison term. The 69-year-old was convicted in 2018, after being impeached the previous year, making her South Korea's first democratically-elected leader to be forced out of office.

       The 69-year-old was convicted in 2018, after being impeached the previous year, making her South Korea's first democratically-elected leader to be forced out of office.

       In 2018, Ms Geun-hye was found guilty of 16 out of the 18 charges, with the majority related to bribery and coercion.

       However, the former President has denied these charges.

       Ms Geun-hye was the first woman to be elected president as well as the first female President popularly elected as head of state in East Asia.

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       However, she was brought down after being found guilty of colluding with a confidante to receive tens of billions of won to help her family and fund non-profit foundations she owned.

       The former President was initially sentenced to 30 years in prison and fined 20bn won (￡12.5million).

       But both the fine and term was later reduced by a high court, which sentenced Ms Geun-hye to 15 years for corruption with an extra five years for abuse of power.

       The decision to pardon the former politician comes as many supporters and politicians of the conservative main opposition in South Korea have been calling for Ms Geun-hye's pardon ahead of the March presidential election.

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       Justice Minister Park Beom-Kye told a briefing: “We've included former President Park to overcome unfortunate past history, realise people's unity and provide a chance to take a new step forward to the future.”

       Ms Geun-hye is the daughter of late authoritarian President Park Chung-hee, who was assassinated in 1979.

       The Justice Ministry revealed on Friday Ms Geun-hye’s pardon is aimed at promoting national unity following difficulties caused by the Covid pandemic.

       She was on a list of people receiving special amnesty and was pardoned from “a perspective of national unity”, Mr Beom-kye told reporters following the ministry’s announcement.

       Local news agency Yonhap reported the Justice Minister said the former President’s pardon was discussed during a two-day meeting of the ministry’s amnesty review committee earlier in the week.

       He stated the health factor “was a very important criterion” in the decision.

       It has been reported Ms Geun-hye has experienced health problems while in prison, including undergoing shoulder surgery.