After years of soul searching, prosecutors have determined Park didn't violate the law.

"(Park) made remarks in conformity with North Korea's claims.

But when we look at his point from a broader perspective, he pointed out overall problems with our society as he called for efforts to make a better society to live in," an official at the prosecutors' office in Jeonju said.

"Rev. Park has also often stated that he doesn't like North Korea's system that has serious problems from the third hereditary succession of power. He also doesn't have any record of participating in pro-North Korea rallies. So we decided not to indict him as it's difficult to see him engaging in enemy-benefiting acts," the official said.

After the decision, Park also said he didn't mean to praise the North.

"What I talked about was how the government made North Korea an enemy," he said. "How can I, as a priest, like North Korea, which has oppressed the Catholic Church?" (Yonhap)