Lawmaker gets suspended jail term for making lewd remarks

SEOUL (Yonhap) - A lawmaker on Wednesday was sentenced to a six-month prison term, suspended for one year, by a district court here for making insulting remarks about TV anchorwomen and a false accusation against a reporter.
Rep. Kang Yong-seok, 42, came under fire in July after allegations surfaced that he made lewd remarks about TV anchorwomen and women's appearances last year during a dinner meeting with college students. Soon after his sexist remarks were widely reported, the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) kicked the first-term lawmaker out of the party.
A group of female TV announcers filed a lawsuit against Kang on charges of defaming them with his derogatory comments about those who work in the field.
If the sentence is finalized at the Supreme Court, he will lose his legislative seat. According to South Korean laws, a lawmaker loses parliamentary membership when he or she is sentenced to a jail term for criminal charges.
"He should bear in mind that as a member of the National Assembly he has more considerable influence on the public than others," the Seoul Western District Court said in a verdict.
It marks the first ruling in the country that suggests expression regarding those of a certain profession can defame individuals within that field.
The independent lawmaker was also charged with making a false accusation against the journalist who first reported the incident.
"A person who was excessively attacked for his remarks can deny his remarks and defend himself. But if his defense involves false information, his accusation cannot be justified," the court said.
Both sides also filed libel suits against each other but later dropped the defamation charges.
The National Assembly's ethics committee, meanwhile, will vote on a motion that calls for expelling Kang from the parliament at a plenary session slated for Monday. The motion needs two-thirds approval to go into effect.