Minor opposition head fined for defamation but keeps seat

JINJU, South Korea, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean court Wednesday fined a
minor opposition party leader 800,000 won (US$611) on charges of violating
election laws, effectively preserving the seat of the progressive lawmaker.

In a public hearing, the Changwon District Court fined the
farmer-turned-legislator for his alleged defamation of a rival candidate during
the April parliamentary elections. His campaign chairman was fined 2.5 million
won.
Kang was indicted in late October for distributing leaflets containing criticism
of rival Lee Bang-ho, the former secretary general of the ruling Grand National
Party (GNP), during the April 9 general election campaign.
The Gyeongsang Province lawmaker would have lost his seat had the court sentenced
him to more than 1 million won. Prosecutors demanded a penalty of 3 million won
earlier this month.
The ruling comes amid a deadlock between opposition parties and the ruling Grand
National Party over the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement ratification, leading to
a boycott of the Assembly and parliamentary paralysis since mid-December to idle
all pending bills.
Kang is a prominent dissenter of the trade deal signed in June 2007. The deal
requires legislative approval from both countries to be put into effect.
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)