Fury over S. Korea presidential hopeful satire

SEOUL (AFP) - South Korea's ruling party has threatened to sue an artist who painted its presidential candidate giving birth to her father, former dictator Mr Park Chung-Hee, likening the work to Nazi propaganda.

The painting by left-wing artist Mr Hong Sung-Dam is being shown as part of an exhibition in Seoul that offers a critical perspective on Mr Park's 1961-79 military rule.

It shows Mr Park's never-married daughter, Ms Park Geun-Hye, who is the ruling New Frontier Party candidate for the December 19 presidential election, giving birth in a hospital maternity ward surrounded by doctors and nurses.

The new-born baby bears a close resemblance to her father and is shown wearing his trademark sunglasses. Outraged ruling party officials condemned the painting as offensive and a piece of "evil" propaganda aimed at tarnishing their candidate's image ahead of the vote.