(2nd LD) Top court strips two lawmakers of seats for violating election law

(ATTN: CHANGES slug, headline, lead; UPDATES throughout with another lawmaker
stripped of seat)
By Kim Hyun
SEOUL, Dec. 11 (Yonhap) -- The Supreme Court stripped two lawmakers of their
seats on Thursday for violations during the parliamentary election race in what
could be a preview of the fate of dozens of other lawmakers on trial.
Rep. Lee Moo-young, an independent, and Rep. Lee Han-jung of the minor opposition
Renewal of Korea Party were the first to lose their seats among more than 30
lawmakers standing trial for violating the election law.
Lee Moo-young automatically lost his seat when the top court affirmed an appeals
court verdict that fined him 3 million won (US$2,206) for spreading false rumors
against his rival in the run-up to the April vote. A jail term or a fine of more
than 1 million won immediately nullifies a parliamentary seat according to the
election law.
In a television debate weeks before the vote, Lee argued that his rival of the
Democratic Party, Chang Young-dal, "was put in jail for seven years not because
he engaged in democracy movement but because he raised the theory of South
Korea's invasion of the North" as the cause of the Korean War.
The top court upheld a guilty verdict by the appeals court, saying, "Even though
Rep. Lee claims that it was a slip of the tongue, considering he made the remarks
repetitively, it seems evident that he had an intention to deal a blow to Chang."
The court also stripped Lee Han-jung of the Renewal of Korea Party of his seat,
ruling in favor of his party, which sought to oust him for his criminal record.
The fledgling party sued Lee after it discovered he had covered up a slew of
criminal convictions and misrepresented his academic credentials.
"Should the Renewal of Korea Party have known Mr. Lee Han-jung had criminal
records that had put him in jail, it would not have named him as its proportional
candidate," Justice Park Si-hwan said in the verdict.
Under South Korean election law, each political party is alloted non-regional
seats according to the proportion of nationwide votes they receive, in addition
to their regional seats. The proportional system aims to increase the presence of
minorities such as women and the disabled in the legislature.
Applying for a proportional seat with the Renewal of Korea party, Lee also handed
over 600 million won to the party to fund its election campaign.
The party chairman, Rep. Moon Kook-hyun, received a suspended jail term last week
for accepting the money.
Court trials are underway for 32 other lawmakers accused of violating the
election law. Twelve more may lose their seats if the top court uphold guilty
verdicts issued by the appeals court.
With Thursday's verdicts, the number of assembly seats has been reduced to 297.
hkim@yna.co.kr