A local court acquitted a South Korean intelligence official on Thursday over suspicions that he took part in political activities in violation of the National Intelligence Service Act.

The Seoul Central District Court found the 42-year-old, whose identity was withheld, not guilty of engaging in unlawful election activities by posting articles and comments on a portal site and online community from 2011 to 2012.

Under the country's law, government officials or policymakers are forbidden from supporting or opposing particular candidates or parties and from leaking information beneficial to particular candidates.

The court said there is a lack of evidence to say he posted them with the clear intention of supporting or opposing certain candidates.

"The defendant has been slandering a lot of politicians for some time, irrelevant to elections, and the number of comments that were related to elections was insignificant," the court said.

Still, the defendant was sentenced to a six-month jail term, suspended for a year, for insulting an Internet broadcast host and her family by writing abusive remarks against them online. (Yonhap)