S Korean media boss convicted

Critics accuse the government of muzzling the media

The owner of South Korea's biggest newspaper has been sentenced to three years in jail for tax evasion.

Bang Sang-Hoon, president and publisher of the Chosun Ilbo, was also fined $4.6m (5.6bn won) - the same amount he should have paid in taxes.

But the media boss will remain free on bail pending an appeal.

Bang, who has one week in which to file an appeal, has been on bail since last November, three months after his arrest.

Prosecutors had sought a seven-year jail term for Bang on charges of not only tax evasion but also embezzlement. But the court found him not guilty of the embezzlement charge.

Bang was arrested along with two other newspaper owners following a government investigation into the media industry.

South Korean newspapers said the investigations were aimed at suppressing their criticism of President Kim Dae-jung's government, but the government has denied this.

In January, the owner of the Kukmin Ilbo newspaper, Cho Hee-Jun, was sentenced to three years in prison and 3bn won in fines for tax evasion and embezzlement.

In February, Kim Byung-Kwang, owner of the Dong-A Ilbo, was sentenced to three-and a-half years in jail and 4.5bn won in fines for similar charges.

The two men are also free on bail until their appeals have been ruled on.