Government ordered to compensate Song

Seoul Central District Court ruled yesterday the government must pay 5 million won ($4,500) to Germany-based sociologist Song Du-yul and 1 million won each to his four lawyers for denying Mr. Song access to them while being questioned by prosecutors.

In his ruling, Judge Kim Rae-ni said that access to lawyers for a defendant in detention was indispensable to preparing a defense.

On a visit to Korea in September 2003, Mr. Song was questioned by the prosecution, which later indicted him on charges of violating the National Security Law by being a member of North Korea’s Workers’ Party.

The Seoul High Court ruled he was not a Pyongyang official, but was guilty of visiting the communist country without Seoul’s permission and handed down a three-year suspended sentence last year. Mr. Song returned to Germany.