The former Gold Coast beauty student has always maintained her innocence after being caught with the cannabis in her body board bag at Bali airport on October 8, 2004.
She was found guilty on May 27, 2005 and sentenced to 20 years' jail.
Mr Syamsuddin made a confusing announcement but later released a statement.
"Corby has been approved to receive parole because (she) has fulfilled the substantive and administrative requirements set by ministry regulation number 21 of year 2013,'' he said
The justice ministry's press release read: ``On 30 January 2014, the Parole Board Team in the Corrections Directorate General heard 1798 prisoners for participation in the parole program.
"One of the prisoners recommended to undergo that program is Schapelle Leigh Corby, a prisoner of Australian citizenship.
"Corby has been approved to receive parole because (she) has fulfilled the substantive and administrative requirements as set by the Minister of Law and Human Rights Regulation Number 21 Year 2013 on the Requirements and Procedure for having Remission, Assimilation, Family Visit Days Off, Parole, Days Off Prior to Release and Limited Days Off.''
Outside Kerobokan jail, prison boss Farid Junaedi said Corby would be out ``soon''.
Mr Junaedi said the timing of her release depended on paperwork, which he hoped would be processed quickly.
"If they are signing it now, then we cannot hold it any longer,'' he said.
"Holding for one minute or one second, it matters for the inmates.''
"As soon as I receive the letter, then I have to release her soon.''
But even if the letter was sent on Monday, he said there was still a lot of processing to do.
The Schapelle Corby saga
October 8, 2004 - Arrested at Bali airport with 4.1kg of cannabis in bodyboard bag
May 27, 2005 - Found guilty of drug trafficking and sentenced to 20 years' jail
July 5, 2005 - Case reopened after appeals by both defence (for a new trial) and prosecution (asking for life imprisonment)
October 15, 2005 - Bali's High Court reduces sentence to 15 years. Both sides appeal to Indonesia's Supreme Court
January 19, 2006 - Supreme Court reinstates original 20-year sentence
August 25, 2006 - Corby appeals against sentence to Supreme Court on the basis of CCTV footage, which never materialises
March 28, 2008 - Supreme Court rejects final appeal, leaving presidential clemency her last resort
August 17, 2011 - Prison governor confirms she has been granted a total of 22 months remission over the preceding five years
May 22, 2012 - Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono orders five-year reduction in sentence
Aug 17, 2013 - Corby recommended for early release but process bogged down by bureaucratic wrangling
Dec 25, 2013 - Sentence cut by two months as part of an annual Christmas remission program
Jan 20, 2014 - Frenchman Michael Blanc, jailed for smuggling hash into Bali in 1999, released on parole to live in Jakarta
Jan 21, 2014 - Indonesia's Corrections Department says Corby's parole case to be heard by end of the month
Feb 7, 2014 - Corby granted parole
- AAP
