S. Korean man fined for insulting foreign professor

By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean man was fined 1 million won (US$865)
Friday for making discriminatory remarks against an Indian professor, marking the
nation's first conviction on contempt charges involving a foreigner, court
officials said.

The Incheon District Court convicted and fined the 31-year-old man, only
identified by his surname Park, for hurling racially biased remarks at a visiting
Indian professor in a bus in July.
In a complaint filed with police, the Indian professor, surnamed Hussain, accused
Park of calling him "dirty" and "smelly." After failing to find no appropriate
clause against such an offense in South Korea's criminal law code, police decided
to file a "personal insult" charge against Park.
The case has drawn strong media attention, raising awareness of racial issues in
the country.
Following the incident, some lawmakers and civil activists have been pushing for
a bill to ban discriminatory practices against foreigners based on either color
or nationality.
ejkim@yna.co.kr
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