By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter
Huh Kyung-young, who was a presidential candidate last year and enjoyed popularity with his eccentric pledges, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for violating the Election Law.
The Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling of a jail term for Huh, 58, Wednesday, for spreading false information about his career and defaming former Grand National Party Chairwoman Park Geun-hye.
During the campaign, Huh claimed that he and Park would marry at Cheong Wa Dae should he become president; he was invited to U.S. President George W. Bush's inauguration party; Bush offered him the secretary general position at the United Nations; and he was Samsung founder Lee Byung-chull's adopted son.
``Huh spread the false information and defamed Park to gain public attention. His actions damaged the development of politics by having voters distrust politics. He denies his crimes and does not reflect on his wrongdoings at all,'' the court said.