An appellate court upheld an 18-month prison sentence for an Uzbek national accused of sending money to a UN-designated terrorist group while residing in South Korea, judicial officials said Tuesday.

The Seoul Central District Court confirmed the lower court's ruling on the migrant worker from Uzbekistan, saying the provision of aid to the terrorist group carries a high risk of harming global peace as well as the safety of the country and the public.

The 35-year-old was indicted for providing money and valuables worth some 4 million won ($3,008) to two members of the Katibat al Tawhid wal Jihad from 2021 to 2022 despite knowing it was a terrorist organization.

The KTJ, a combat force affiliated with al-Qaeda, was designated as a terrorist group by the UN in 2022.

The Uzbek allegedly committed the crime upon receiving requests for aid via telegram, after entering South Korea with a non-professional E-9 visa in 2017.

The defendant appealed to the Supreme Court. (Yonhap)