The Supreme Court has found a Jehovah& 039 s Witness guilty of violating the law by refusing to serve in the military on the basis of his religious faith.

In a landmark decision handed down Thursday, the Supreme Court upheld a lower court& 039 s ruling and sentenced the defendant, identified only by his surname Choi, to one and a half years in prison.

The Supreme Court said in its ruling that the freedom of conscience does not precede the duty of national defense and the exercise of individuals& 039 basic rights should not be allowed to violate other laws.

The Supreme Court& 039 s decision is expected to have a great influence on other similar cases pending in lower courts.

Meanwhile, supporters of conscientious objectors protested the ruling, saying that Article 19 of the Constitution guarantees freedom of conscience for all citizens.

In May, a Seoul district court found three followers of the millennialist sect, Jehovah& 039 s Witnesses, not guilty of charges that they violated the military service law when they refused conscription on religious grounds.

The ruling caught the nation by surprise, as national defense is widely considered South Korea& 039 s No. 1 state objective.

All able-bodied South Korean men must serve in the military for two years when they reach the age of 20. Violators may be punished with prison terms of up to three years.