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South Korean court rules inSouth Korean court rules in favour of Iraqi Kurdistan’s oil minister in bribery claims favour of Iraqi Kurdistan’s oil minister in bribery claims
6/18/2015
Kurdistan’s minister for natural resources Ashti Hawrami.
SEOUL,— The Seoul Western District Court in South Korea has ruled against the Korea Times newspaper for publishing a series of articles relating to accusations by Korean MP Chun Soon-ok, pro-KRG media reported. In March 2015, Korean MP Chun Soon-Ok brought several accusations against Korea National Oil Corporation (KNOC) about legitimate contractual payments made in 2008 by KNOC as part of its production sharing contract to explore for oil in the Bazian block in the Kurdistan region.
The Seoul Western District Court in South Korea found no malpractice and illicit activity relating to “energy diplomacy” between KNOC and the Kurdistan Regional Government KRG.
The KNOC bought a suit against the Korean Times after it published a number of articles repeating the claims, which were picked up by news outlets across the Kurdistan Region. The court agreed that the allegations were ‘not true’ and ordered the newspaper to remove the articles and not repeat or distribute similar claims in the future.
The court ruled that a “capacity building bonus” paid by KNOC to KRG “is paid under the contracts and the ground for payment is clear.”
The court went on about wrong and ungrounded accusations published by The Korean Times and said there was no credible evidence presented to the court that could prove allegations brought against KNOC or the KRG.
“There is no reason for this court to make a conclusion that the money paid to the KRG by the creditor is either bribery or was distributed to the close associates of [former President] Lee Myung-Bak,” read the Seoul Western District Court statement.
The Court ruling reads:
“There is no reason for this Court to make a conclusion that the money paid to the KRG by the Creditor is either bribery or was distributed to the close associates of [former President] Lee Myung-Bak.”
It goes on to say that the Korean Times “had not been able to furnish any credible material supporting its allegation that the payment of bonuses under the contract is a bribery.
“This Court finds that the Debtor’s [Korean Times] posting of the articles… constitutes an act damaging to the reputation of the Creditor [KNOC] and as an infringement on personal rights of the creditor by stating false fact
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6/18/2015
Kurdistan’s minister for natural resources Ashti Hawrami.
SEOUL,— The Seoul Western District Court in South Korea has ruled against the Korea Times newspaper for publishing a series of articles relating to accusations by Korean MP Chun Soon-ok, pro-KRG media reported. In March 2015, Korean MP Chun Soon-Ok brought several accusations against Korea National Oil Corporation (KNOC) about legitimate contractual payments made in 2008 by KNOC as part of its production sharing contract to explore for oil in the Bazian block in the Kurdistan region.
The Seoul Western District Court in South Korea found no malpractice and illicit activity relating to “energy diplomacy” between KNOC and the Kurdistan Regional Government KRG.
The KNOC bought a suit against the Korean Times after it published a number of articles repeating the claims, which were picked up by news outlets across the Kurdistan Region. The court agreed that the allegations were ‘not true’ and ordered the newspaper to remove the articles and not repeat or distribute similar claims in the future.
The court ruled that a “capacity building bonus” paid by KNOC to KRG “is paid under the contracts and the ground for payment is clear.”
The court went on about wrong and ungrounded accusations published by The Korean Times and said there was no credible evidence presented to the court that could prove allegations brought against KNOC or the KRG.
“There is no reason for this court to make a conclusion that the money paid to the KRG by the creditor is either bribery or was distributed to the close associates of [former President] Lee Myung-Bak,” read the Seoul Western District Court statement.
The Court ruling reads:
“There is no reason for this Court to make a conclusion that the money paid to the KRG by the Creditor is either bribery or was distributed to the close associates of [former President] Lee Myung-Bak.”
It goes on to say that the Korean Times “had not been able to furnish any credible material supporting its allegation that the payment of bonuses under the contract is a bribery.
“This Court finds that the Debtor’s [Korean Times] posting of the articles… constitutes an act damaging to the reputation of the Creditor [KNOC] and as an infringement on personal rights of the creditor by stating false fact
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
