The Seoul High Court made a verdict on an appeal filed by Han Sang-gyun, imprisoned head of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions(KCTU) in charges of leading a violent anti-government protest in November last year with a commuted sentence of three years in jail and fines of 500,000 won(US$ 430) from five years in jail with the same amount of fines sentenced by a lower court.
The appeals court confirmed most of the prosecutor's charges of the violations of traffic law and assembly and demonstration law in the protests in November last year, but dismissed the charges in the May Day rally last year.
The court said, "As the culture of peaceful assembly and demonstrations has been taking roots in recent months (seen in the candlelight vigil protests by the ordinary citizens), it appears unsure that the punishment of long-term sentence shall contribute to the development of peaceful assembly and demonstration culture."
Bae Tae-sun, former director in charge of the Department of Organization and Dispute of the KCTU was sentenced to 1 year and 6 months in jail, which was commuted from the imprisonment of 3 years.
reported by Je Jeong-nam
translated by Kim Sung-jin