Transparency International welcomes exoneration of Chair of Transparency International-Korea, Geo-Sung Kim

Transparency International welcomes news that on 1 May 2014 Geo-Sung Kim, the Chair of Transparency International-Korea, has finally been cleared of charges levelled against him in 1977 and 1978 for his protest of the dictatorship of Park Chung-hee.

Geo-Sung Kim and Member of Parliament Young-Min Noh had been charged for violating a Presidential Emergency Decree meant to oppress the people's struggle for democracy and justice.

Both appealed to the court for a retrial after the Constitutional Court's ruling last year that those Presidential Emergency Decrees violated the Constitution. The prosecutor requested they be declared innocent and the Seoul Higher Court agreed.

“This judgment was possible because of the sacrifice of so many martyrs for democracy in Korea as well as the struggle of the people,” said Geo-Sung Kim. The judge in the case expressed deep sorrow on behalf of his country for the charges and added that he hoped the two would continue efforts for a just society.

The MP and the Geo-Sung Kim spent around two years in jail from 1977 to 1979. While students of Yonsei University, the two distributed papers against the dictatorship and corruption.

Transparency International congratulates Geo-Sung Kim for persisting to clear his name and for serving as an example to all that justice can prevail.

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