Kyonggi Governor Gets Court Reprieve

The Seoul High Court on Tuesday reversed the bribery conviction of Lim Chang-yuel, the governor of Kyonggi province.

Mr. Lim had been sentenced by a lower court to a year in prison with two years probation and ordered to pay a fine of 100 million won ($74,000) for accepting 100 million won in bribes from officials of Kyonggi Bank in 1998 in exchange for preventing the bank's collapse.

In its ruling, the High Court said, "The money the defendant received during the gubernatorial election in 1998 cannot be considered money received in exchange for providing favors to Kyonggi Bank."

The court said that the bank was not being considered for closing when the money changed hands on May 28, 1998.

The High Court said the lower court's ruling was based on evidence with little credibility.

The court added that had prosecutors charged Mr. Lim with violating the regulations on political funds, it is likely the punishment would have stood.

Prosecutors said that they would appeal the decision.

The law on political funds states that only political parties and members of the National Assembly can receive registered donations.

Tuesday's decision came as little, if any, surprise to political and legal analysts since the court asked prosecutors to file different charges in February.

by Kim Seung-hyun