▲ Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- A court on Thursday acquitted former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo of violating the election law by donating money to a restaurant in the southwestern city of Gwangju that serves nearly free meals to those who need them.

The former prime minister was charged with donating 1.5 million won (US$1,103) from his own pocket to the restaurant on April 15, 2025, shortly after an early presidential race was scheduled following the ouster of former President Yoon Suk Yeol over his failed martial law bid the previous year.

Prosecutors indicted Han for violating the Public Official Election Act, which bans a "person intending to run for office" from making donations, and demanded a fine of 1 million won for the former prime minister.

The Seoul District Court, however, ruled that Han could not be categorized as a "person intending to run for office" at the time of the donation, saying there had been no explicit expression of a presidential bid by Han, nor any objective evidence to recognize such intent.

(END)

[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]