Minerva Claims Telecom Law Unconstitutional
By Kang Shin-who
Staff Reporter
Online commentator Park Dae-sung, better known as ``Minerva,'' filed a complaint Wednesday, claiming the nation's Telecommunications Law was flawed and his arrest, groundless.
The 31-year-old Park was arrested earlier this month on charges of spreading false information on the government's economic policy.
According to the Seoul Central District Court, Park filed a request for a judge to examine whether Clause 1 of Article 47 of the telecommunications act was unconstitutional through his lawyers. If the judge rules in his favor they will file a petition with the Constitutional Court.
The clause states that a person may be sentenced to a maximum of five years in jail or a fine of up to 50 million won ($36,000) for spreading misleading information with the intention of ``damaging the public interest'' via the telecommunication infrastructure.
Park's lawyers questioned the definition of the term ``public interest,'' calling it ambiguous, while pointing out that not all who ``spread false information'' are arrested, according to the court. They also filed for bail for the blogger.
In addition, Park's defendants said that his post wasn't false as it had been confirmed that government officials did indeed request institutions to refrain from buying dollars.