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| South Korean Lawmaker Convicted of ‘Revolutionary’ Activities | South Korean Lawmaker Convicted of ‘Revolutionary’ Activities |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| SEOUL, South Korea — A South Korean court sentenced an opposition lawmaker to 12 years in prison on Monday for forming a “revolutionary organization” and conspiring to start an armed revolt to overthrow the Seoul government in the event of war with North Korea. | |
| Lee Seok-ki, a politician affiliated with the far-left United Progressive Party, became the first South Korean lawmaker convicted on charges of “plotting treason” since the country’s past military dictators used them to silence dissidents decades ago. | Lee Seok-ki, a politician affiliated with the far-left United Progressive Party, became the first South Korean lawmaker convicted on charges of “plotting treason” since the country’s past military dictators used them to silence dissidents decades ago. |
| The arrest of Mr. Lee, 51, in September and his subsequent court hearings drew intense public attention in South Korea, where an ideological conflict rooted in fear of the Communist North shows no sign of easing more than 60 years after the end of the Korean War in 1953. | The arrest of Mr. Lee, 51, in September and his subsequent court hearings drew intense public attention in South Korea, where an ideological conflict rooted in fear of the Communist North shows no sign of easing more than 60 years after the end of the Korean War in 1953. |
| Mr. Lee has denied the charges against him, and his lawyers said on Monday that they would appeal. | |
| In recent months, conservative politicians, news media and activists have become increasingly vocal in criticizing “jongbuk,” or followers of North Korea, accusing them of infiltrating society and spreading subversive ideas. Meanwhile, members of the progressive opposition have accused the conservative government of President Park Geun-hye of resorting to a “witch hunt” to repress her political enemies. | In recent months, conservative politicians, news media and activists have become increasingly vocal in criticizing “jongbuk,” or followers of North Korea, accusing them of infiltrating society and spreading subversive ideas. Meanwhile, members of the progressive opposition have accused the conservative government of President Park Geun-hye of resorting to a “witch hunt” to repress her political enemies. |
| The political clash has been playing out not only inside the courtroom but also outside. On Monday, hundreds of conservative activists wearing military uniforms rallied outside the district court in Suwon, south of Seoul, where the three-judge panel was reading out an hourslong verdict. | |
| Pumping their clenched fists in the air, the demonstrators chanted, “Let’s exterminate jongbuk!” | Pumping their clenched fists in the air, the demonstrators chanted, “Let’s exterminate jongbuk!” |
| Progressive party members holding purple balloons held a rival rally calling for Mr. Lee’s acquittal. | Progressive party members holding purple balloons held a rival rally calling for Mr. Lee’s acquittal. |
| “Down with the Park Geun-hye regime!” they chanted. They accused Ms. Park of “resurrecting the dictatorship” of her father, former President Park Chung-hee. During Mr. Park’s iron-fisted rule, from 1961 to 1979, dissidents were tortured and sometimes executed on charges of plotting against South Korea on the North’s behalf. | “Down with the Park Geun-hye regime!” they chanted. They accused Ms. Park of “resurrecting the dictatorship” of her father, former President Park Chung-hee. During Mr. Park’s iron-fisted rule, from 1961 to 1979, dissidents were tortured and sometimes executed on charges of plotting against South Korea on the North’s behalf. |
| About 1,200 police officers were dispatched to the scene in Suwon to guard against violence. No clashes were reported. | About 1,200 police officers were dispatched to the scene in Suwon to guard against violence. No clashes were reported. |
| “The ‘revolutionary organization’ was a group with a command structure and was at the center of a treason plot,” the presiding judge, Kim Jong-woon, said in his verdict. “The lawmaker Lee is recognized as its head.” | |
| Mr. Lee was accused of bringing together 130 followers last May to plot an armed uprising in support of North Korea if war broke out on the divided Korean Peninsula. During the meeting, one of his deputies suggested attacking South Korea’s communications, oil, rail and other key facilities in the case of war, prosecutors said. | |
| Mr. Lee’s lawyers accused prosecutors of distorting the context of the comments and said the talk of sabotaging state facilities was “like jokes.” | Mr. Lee’s lawyers accused prosecutors of distorting the context of the comments and said the talk of sabotaging state facilities was “like jokes.” |
| On Monday, Mr. Lee was also convicted on separate charges of violating South Korea’s anti-Communist national security law for singing North Korean “revolutionary songs” during political gatherings. | On Monday, Mr. Lee was also convicted on separate charges of violating South Korea’s anti-Communist national security law for singing North Korean “revolutionary songs” during political gatherings. |
| Three other progressive party members indicted with Mr. Lee were sentenced to four to seven years in prison. | Three other progressive party members indicted with Mr. Lee were sentenced to four to seven years in prison. |
| Mr. Lee’s highly unusual case raised questions about what constitutes a treason plot in the South, where the government blocks access to North Korean websites, and people are still arrested for reposting North Korean propaganda materials on Twitter. | |
| During his court hearing earlier this month, Mr. Lee called himself a scapegoat in Ms. Park’s attempt to silence progressive politicians, who have been some of her most vocal critics. He called his trial “a test of democracy” in South Korea. | During his court hearing earlier this month, Mr. Lee called himself a scapegoat in Ms. Park’s attempt to silence progressive politicians, who have been some of her most vocal critics. He called his trial “a test of democracy” in South Korea. |
| “I never heard of the ‘revolutionary organization,'” he said. “I never plotted or called for treason.” | |
| There was no immediate reaction from Ms. Park’s office. But the court verdict was hailed by her governing Saenuri Party, whose lawmakers called for a bill that would strip Mr. Lee of his parliamentary seat. | There was no immediate reaction from Ms. Park’s office. But the court verdict was hailed by her governing Saenuri Party, whose lawmakers called for a bill that would strip Mr. Lee of his parliamentary seat. |
| In a separate lawsuit, Ms. Park’s government is asking the Constitutional Court to disband the progressive party, which it says has pursued North Korean-style socialism. | In a separate lawsuit, Ms. Park’s government is asking the Constitutional Court to disband the progressive party, which it says has pursued North Korean-style socialism. |
| Mr. Lee’s United Progressive Party controls only six seats in the 300-member National Assembly. | Mr. Lee’s United Progressive Party controls only six seats in the 300-member National Assembly. |
| “This is the most shameful day in the history of legal justice in South Korea,” said Hong Sung-kyu, a spokesman for the party. | “This is the most shameful day in the history of legal justice in South Korea,” said Hong Sung-kyu, a spokesman for the party. |
| He questioned the credibility of evidence against Mr. Lee, saying that the National Intelligence Service had planted and bribed a mole among Mr. Lee’s followers to tape-record their meetings. | He questioned the credibility of evidence against Mr. Lee, saying that the National Intelligence Service had planted and bribed a mole among Mr. Lee’s followers to tape-record their meetings. |
| The verdict on Monday was a badly needed success for the National Intelligence Service, which brought Mr. Lee’s case to light. The progressive party accused the agency of concocting a shocking treason case to divert attention from its own political scandal, in which a former director of the agency is now on trial on charges of ordering his agents to initiate an online smear campaign in late 2012 to attack political rivals of Ms. Park, who was then the conservative governing party’s candidate. |