A Seoul court has acknowledged that former President Kim Young-sam fathered a son born out of wedlock 52 years ago.

The Seoul Family Court on Thursday ruled for 52-year-old Kim, who claimed to be a biological child of the 83-year-old former President.

According to Judge Ma Eun-hyeok, the senior Kim refused to offer his DNA for a paternity test; did not appoint an attorney to deliver his opinion and has not given any response to the trial even though the son suggested several documents and other materials believed to prove the relationship.

“Based on the evidence the son had turned in, the allegation of paternity seems valid enough,” Ma said.

The judge said the DNA test is essential in paternity suits. “However, the senior Kim is unlikely to cooperate in the investigation in future. Therefore, with the current evidence acknowledging the blood ties, the plaintiff is the biological son of Kim Young-sam,” he said.

Kim filed the suit in October 2009. His mother is still alive.

This is not the first time the former president, who served between 1993 and 1998, was accused of having a lovechild.

In 2005, a woman identified as Lee filed a paternity suit against Kim over their alleged daughter. However, the case was dropped two weeks before the scheduled verdict and the truth remains unknown.

By Bae Ji-sook (baejisook@heraldcorp.com)