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SEOUL, Aug 11, 2006 (UPI via COMTEX) -- Criminal charges were dropped against a South Korean television reporter who broke the story on the Korean spy agency's illegal eavesdropping on civilians.
Lee Sang-ho, a reporter from television station MBC, had been indicted for violating the country's privacy laws, the Korea Times said.
In July last year, MBC reported the contents of a wiretapped conversation about illegal campaign funds allegedly between Samsung vice chairman Lee Hak-soo and former Korean Ambassador to the United States Hong Seok-hyun.
In lifting the charges against the reporter, the Seoul Central District Court said that Lee's disclosure of the information could be defended on public interest grounds.
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Copyright 2006 by United Press International