Charges against three Koreans over their alleged roles in rioting during anti-free-trade protests in December outside the World Trade Organisation conference in Wan Chai may be dropped. Eleven co-defendants have already been discharged.
A Justice Department memo, which has reportedly been circulated to lawyers involved in the case, reveals prosecutors no longer believe Yun Ilk-wan, 36, took part in the violence the day before the ministerial conference ended on December 18.
A spokesman for Martin Lee Chu-ming, who is defending the Koreans, refused to say whether it was a video Mr Lee had provided to the prosecution that proved Yun was not involved.
A spokeswoman for the Korean People's Action Against the FTAs (free-trade agreements) and the WTO, Sohi Joen, said from Seoul that she could not confirm whether or not the group had heard the charge of unauthorised assembly against Yun had been dropped.
She would not say whether or not the group was confident the two other men would receive a reprieve.
Police arrested more than 1,000 protesters after demonstrations turned violent outside the Convention and Exhibition Centre, with dozens of officers and demonstrators injured and police using tear gas against the group.
