Prime Minister Han Duck-soo (C), Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon (L) and SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won pose for the camera ahead of a general assembly of the Bureau International des Expositions in Paris on Monday, in this photo provided by Han's office. (Han's office)
A district court on Friday delivered a not-guilty verdict to Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon indicted on charges of making a false statement in the run-up to last year's by-election, citing the lack of evidence.
Park was indicted for denying news reports that he was involved in the National Intelligence Service (NIS)'s surveillance of environmentalists campaigning against a major river restoration project in 2009, when he was the public relations chief for then President Lee Myung-bak.
However, an NIS report later showed that Park was briefed by the spy agency on such surveillance, and prosecutors indicted Park on charges of election law violations and demanded a fine of 5 million won for him.
But on Friday, the Busan District Court said the NIS report was not an original copy, which lacks evidential ability to prove Park's alleged involvement. (Yonhap)
MOST POPULAR