The government pardoned or reduced the sentences of 955 convicts and lifted more than 3,700 administrative restrictions for construction companies on Tuesday.

According to the Ministry of Justice, 540 prisoners including one serving a life sentence were pardoned or given reduced sentences.

The convict on life sentence, whose sentence was reduced to 20 years, is a first-time offender who has served more than 10 years of his term, during which the prisoner has shown exemplary behavior, the ministry said.

In addition, 210 parolees with sentences remaining will be exempted from serving the remainder, and the sentences passed on 166 people on probation for violating the Illegal Check Control Act were annulled. The check control act violators pardoned exclude those who were convicted of forgery.

The government also exempted 38 people who were sentenced to labor for failing to pay fines of 3 million won ($2,600) or less from serving out their sentences.

The Justice Ministry said that pardons were granted mainly to those from low-income groups and that those with social standing such as politicians and businesspeople were excluded.

The ministry also said that 18 inmates for whom serving out the sentences was deemed difficult due to old age, disabilities and other similar reasons and an inmate on life-sentence were released or given shorter sentences.

In relation to the removal of administrative restraints including being barred from bidding for public projects, 3,742 such measures placed on construction firms before Jan. 10 will become ineffective from Thursday.

However, fines and orders to change practices issued along with the restraints will maintain their efficacy.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)