S. Korean found guilty

Press, 10 April 1978, Page 8

S. Korean found guilty

NZPA-Reuter Washington A. United States Federal] jury has found a South Korean businessman, Hancho Kim, guilty of plotting] to pass SUS6OO,OOO to Con-] gressmen to win favour for] South Korea.

The jury deliberated for seven hours before handing down its verdict while Kim and his wife, Soonduk, sat

grim-faced in the court of

(Judge Thomas Flannery. The

jury found Kim guilty oni both counts in his indict-

ment — conspiracy and a) charge that he lied to a Federal grand jury in denying; he had received the

iSUS6OO,OOO from a South Korean intelligence agent. I The maximum penalty on! each charge is five years in prison and a SUSIO,OOO fine. It was the first South Korean influence-buying case to go to trial, and the strongest judgment to' date that South Korean agents planned to pay off Congressmen with the backing of President Park Chung-hee. Mr Park has repeatedly denied that his Government initiated such illegal lobbying action. Kim’s attorney, Mr David; Povich, had said earlier that} he would appeal a guilty; verdict. Judge Flannery set Kim’s j sentencing for May 19, and; ordered him to surrender his! passport to the Government! so that he cannot leave the* country. I e