SEOUL-- A total of 735 well-behaving prisoners will be released on parole this week, including former lawmaker and Finance Minister Choi Kyoung-hwan, in an effort to reduce prison density amid the pandemic, the justice ministry said Wednesday.

The beneficiaries, set to be released Thursday morning, also include Choi Gee-sung, a former head of Samsung's now-disbanded control tower Future Strategy Office, and his former deputy Chang Choong-ki, according to the ministry.

Former four-term lawmaker Choi has been serving a five-year term over a bribery case, while the two former Samsung executives have been serving a 2 1/2 year prison term each over bribery in a massive corruption scandal involving ousted former President Park Geun-hye.

The ministry said it plans to conduct one more round of early release of prisoners on March 30.

Source: Yonhap News Agency