Seoul (AFP) - A presidential pardon was granted in South Korea on Tuesday for imprisoned former president Lee Myung-bak, ending his 17-year prison sentence on corruption charges, the justice minister said.

Minister Han Dong-hoon told reporters after a ministerial meeting with President Yun Suk-yul that Lee was among a list of more than 1,300 people who received special pardons "out of broader national unity through reconciliation and forgiveness."

Lee, 81, who was allowed to leave prison temporarily in June due to his age and poor health, is serving a 17-year sentence on charges of bribery and embezzlement.

The sentence was effectively a life sentence, as he was not supposed to be released until 2036, when he would be 95 years old.

The former president, who was prior to taking office as CEO of Hyundai, was charged with 16 criminal charges in 2018 and was sentenced to prison in 2020.

He was found guilty of making tens of millions of dollars in illegal money and accepting bribes from Samsung Electronics in exchange for a presidential pardon for its late chairman, Lee Kun-hee, who was imprisoned for tax evasion.

Lee, who was appointed to head a major construction company when he was 35 before entering politics, held the presidency from 2008 to 2013.

He led the country through the global financial crisis, and South Korea won during his reign the right to host the 2018 Winter Olympics, but his opponents accused him of undermining democratic standards and freedom of expression.

The latest pardons, which go into effect at midnight Wednesday, mark the second time President Yoon has used his power to issue a pardon since taking office in May.

In August, Samsung Electronics CEO Lee Jae-young was among the beneficiaries of Yoon's first pardons.

And South Korean presidents often end up in prison after their presidential terms, which is usually the case when their political opponents come to power.