Seoul (AFP) - A Japanese journalist was convicted Thursday of defaming South Korea's President Park Geun-Hye with a report on her whereabouts following a fatal ferry disaster, in a case that has strained diplomatic relations.

Tatsuya Kato was found guilty of defaming Park in an article based on "groundless rumours", Seoul's District Court said, refering to story he wrote after the Sewol passenger ferry sinking that left 300 dead last year.