Ruling party lawmaker stripped of seat

SEOUL, Jan. 15 (Yonhap) -- The Supreme Court on Thursday nullified a lawmaker's
election victory last April, stripping the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) of a
seat in the National Assembly.
The top court orderd Koo Bon-chul, a ruling party legislator elected from the
Bupyeong district in the port city of Incheon, to pay a fine of 4 million won
(US$2,960) for violating the election law in the run-up to the general elections
in 2008.
Koo, formerly a professor at Inha University, was accused of offering expensive
gifts to his constituents and forging his personal information in campaign
documents.
The decision stripped Koo of his seat and brought the GNP head count down to 171
in the 299-member unicameral Assembly. A jail term or a fine of more than 1
million won immediately nullifies a parliamentary seat according to the election
law.
Since last year's elections, a total of four lawmakers from both ruling and
opposition parties have lost their parliamentary seats due to violations. The
main opposition Democratic Party currently holds 82 seats.
About 10 other lawmakers, including four from the GNP, are now awaiting verdicts
from high courts or the Supreme Court on separate charges of violating the
election law.
ycm@yna.co.kr
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