A former leftist lawmaker was convicted Friday for illegally holding a protest of the free trade deal between South Korea and the United States four years ago.

    The Seoul Central District Court fined Lee Jung-hee, former chief of the Unified Progressive Party (UPP), which was dissolved last year, 500,000 won ($420) for staging an unauthorized protest on the streets of central Seoul for about half an hour in November 2011.

   Prosecutors said she did not notify the police of the rally ahead of time. In South Korea, all protesters are required to inform the police of plans for demonstrations.

   Many bypass the law, however, either by holding a one-person demonstration, which does not require prior notice, or claiming they are holding a press conference or a congregation.

    The 46-year-old former lawmaker claimed it was a legitimate speech guaranteed by the Political Party Law, but the court did not recognize her claim.

   "The meeting was far from a typical one with party speeches since others who are not involved in the UPP also gave speeches,"Judge Park Sa-rang said.

   After the sentence was delivered, Lee said, "It is unfair to punish a meeting held by a political party where speeches are given."

   A former presidential candidate Chung Dong-young was also convicted of a similar charge last week.

   The free trade deal between South Korea and the U.S. went into effect in 2012. (Yonhap)