Seoul Education Superintendent Convicted for Spreading False Information During Campaign

There would be no politicians left in the US if spreading false information during a campaign ever became a crime like it is in Seoul:

The post of Seoul education superintendent, one of the most powerful educational positions in the country, might be vacated for the third time since direct elections were introduced for the post in 2008.

On Thursday night, the Seoul Central District Court sentenced Seoul Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon to pay a 5 million won ($4,640) fine for spreading false information about one of his rivals, Koh Seung-duk, during the election campaign last year. If the ruling is upheld in the Supreme Court, he will be kicked out of his job.

Cho claimed that Koh was a permanent resident of the United States, which wasn’t true.

“Superintendent Cho did not fully check the facts about Koh’s permanent residency in the United States when he held a press conference about it,” said the judge panel. “Given that Cho mentioned the issue again even after Koh released an explanation, Cho’s action was clearly the spreading of false information.”

Under local educational law, a candidate who intentionally disseminates false information about a rival can be fined 5 million to 30 million won or sent to prison for up to seven years. An education superintendent who is fined 1 million won or more or sentenced to any time in jail loses his job.  [Joong Ang Ilbo]

You can read the rest at the link, but could you imagine the money that could be raised by this law in the US in just the US Presidential election cycle?