A South Korean man was fined 1 million won ($865) Friday for making discriminatory remarks against an Indian professor, marking the nation's first conviction on contempt charges involving a foreigner, court officials said.

The Incheon District Court convicted and fined the 31-year-old man, only identified by his surname Park, for hurling racially biased remarks at a visiting Indian professor in a bus in July, according to Yonhap News Agency.

In a complaint filed with police, the Indian professor, surnamed Hussain, accused Park of calling him "dirty" and "smelly." After failing to find no appropriate clause against such an offense in South Korea's criminal law code, police decided to file a "personal insult" charge against Park.

The case has drawn strong media attention, raising awareness of racial issues in the country.

Following the incident, some lawmakers and civil activists have been pushing for a bill to ban discriminatory practices against foreigners based on either color or nationality.