Prosecutor suspends case against S. Korean reporter who made film on Iraq war

[unhappycamper]

Seoul prosecutors have suspended passport violation charges against Kim Young-me, a South Korean journalist. Kim was working a documentary about U.S. troops deployed to Iraq when she was forced to leave the country because of a year-old South Korean law preventing its citizens from traveling to Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia.


Prosecutor suspends case against S. Korean reporter who made film on Iraq war
By Ashley Rowland and Hwang Hae-rym, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Wednesday, October 1, 2008

SEOUL — A prosecutor has suspended a charge against a South Korean producer who was forced to leave Iraq in August while filming a television documentary about the U.S. military.

Kim Young-me was accused of breaking South Korea’s year-old travel ban to Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia and faced up to a year in prison and a 3 million won (about $2,500) fine.

Kim, 38, was notified of the decision by letter. She said she believes the prosecutor suspended the charge to avoid a controversial trial.

"I see this decision as a warning not to go to Iraq again. But as I read it, I thought to myself, ‘I should go to Iraq again soon,’" she said.

Prosecutor Lee Kyung-soo decided on Sept. 16 to suspend the indictment for three years and lift the travel ban based on Kim’s motivation, the results of her trip and the circumstances involved, a spokesman for the Seoul South District Prosecutor’s Office said Monday.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=57777