[Photo] Human rights attorney compensation for incarceration under Park Chung-hee admin

South Korean attorney Han Seang-hun, 85, among the country’s first generation of human rights lawyers, won a reparations case against the South Korean government for his prison sentence served under the regime of ex-president Park Chung-hee, a controversial figure in South Korean history who has often been referred to as a dictator. Han was incarcerated or 292 days after being arrested without a warrant in 1975 for criticizing the government in an article printed by a women’s publication. He was also banned from practicing as an attorney for eight years and five months following his release. Later on, Han served as the chairman of the board of audit and inspection under the Kim Dae-jung administration. A Seoul High Court ruled that Han be paid 350 million won (US$311,416) for his unjust arrest and incarceration.