"Following a special order from our nominee Hong, we have decided to accept the return of those who sought it and lift punishments for the victory of the Liberty Korea Party in the presidential race and the grand unity of conservatives," said Rep. Lee Cheol-woo, secretary-general of the party, during a press briefing at its headquarters in Seoul.

Bareun, which means "righteous" in Korean, was created earlier this year by 33 lawmakers who had defected from the former ruling party following their support for the parliamentary impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye, who was still a member of the party.

On the same day, the former ruling party also lifted punishments on seven lawmakers, including those close to ousted President Park.

Experts say the decision could provoke backlashes from those who oppose the return of the 12 lawmakers and others who say the decision-making process was flawed in that it was not discussed by the party's official committee.

Meanwhile, the presidential campaigns entered the final stretch Saturday, with the vote just three days away.

The latest poll on the election published Wednesday showed Moon Jae-in of the liberal Democratic Party still in the lead with 42.4 percent, followed by Ahn Cheol-soo of the center-left People's Party and Hong with 18.6 percent each.

The other major candidates included Sim Sang-jeung of the progressive Justice Party, who in the latest poll stood in fourth place with 7.3 percent, and Yoo Seong-min of the splinter conservative Bareun Party with 4.9 percent. (Yonhap)