DP Lawmaker loses libel suit over ‘Kim Il-sung remarks’

Democratic Party lawmaker Lim Su-kyung on Wednesday lost a defamation suit against a lawmaker and a former spokesman of the ruling party, who claimed she called former North Korean leader Kim Il-sung “father” on a visit to Pyongyang.

“Although there is no evidence to prove the Saenuri Party’s accusation as true, (the comments) were neither malicious nor libelous enough to constitute as illegal,” the Seoul Central District Court said in its ruling. The court added that the comments, made by Saenuri lawmaker Han Ki-ho and former co-spokesman Jeon Kwang-sam, have “public benefits.”

“Back then, the public’s interest toward Lim’s political, ideological inclination had been amplified after her ‘traitor’ remarks, and (the comments by Saenuri) addressed Lim’s actions during her visits to North Korea,” the court said.

In June last year, Lim had a quarrel with a defector-turned-college student at a restaurant in Seoul. According to news outlets, Lim had called the student a “traitor” and he responded by saying the lawmaker called Kim Il-sung “father.”

After the incident, Han and Jeon claimed on local radio shows that Lim had addressed the deceased North Korean leader as father during her unauthorized trip to the communist country in 1989.

By Yoon Min-sik
(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)