The court sentenced Han to a year and a half in prison and same period of suspension of qualification, charging him with producing and distributing "enemy-benefiting presentations" that sympathize with the north's assertions.

Authorities of south Korea searched Han's office in December last year and detained him in May and at last inflicted such penalty on him.

In protest against the sentence, Han queried how could his call for implementation of the June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration and efforts for peaceful reunification be a crime.

If the desire for south-north reconciliation and peaceful reunification is a crime, what can the seeking of a war against reunification be called? Han asked.

He expressed his willingness to promptly appeal against the judgment made out of a politically-motivated intention.