GNP floor leader cleared of illegal fund raising charges

SEOUL, Aug. 5 (Yonhap) -- The ruling party's floor leader was cleared on Friday of illegal political funding charges under a revised law that cleared the way for politicians to receive personal political donations, a Seoul appeals court said.
Rep. Hwang Woo-yea of the Grand National Party was prosecuted in 2004 on charges of receiving 10 million won (US$9,365) two years earlier in the form of a political donation from a large conglomerate without issuing a receipt. Taking money in person was then prohibited by law.
But in July last year, the Political Fund Law was changed to allow politicians to personally receive donations if they report the amount and sources of the funds to their party.
The alteration cleared Hwang of the illegal fund raising accusations given he made the report required by the new law, the Seoul High Court said.
"When a legal change renders a (previously illegal) activity not illicit, the new law overrides (the old one)," said Judge Cho Hae-hyun of the court.
The latest ruling came after the Supreme Court twice annulled the lower court's decision on the case and returned it to the court for reconsideration.
In response to Friday's ruling, the judge-turned-politician said, "Undergoing trials during a nine-year period, I felt greater pains inflicted on people than on myself."
He added, "I though that the judiciary and legislature should establish good institutions so people are not to suffer from legal proceedings."