A South Korean court has found a former executive of national airline Korean Air guilty of breaking aviation law over the "nut rage" case.

Heather Cho, also known as Hyun-ah, was jailed for one year, avoiding a possible maximum sentence of 10-years.

Cho had forced her Seoul-bound plane to turn back to the gate and offload a steward because she did not like the way she had been served nuts.

The case garnered global interest and caused an uproar in South Korea.

Cho, who was a vice-president with the airline, was found guilty of obstructing aviation safety.

Her plane was taxiing at New York's JFK Airport on 5 December when witnesses say she became angry after being served macadamia nuts she did not ask for and which were still in a bag and not in a bowl.

She ordered the plane to return to the gate and offload the chief steward.

Chaebol domination

Her defence team argued that aviation safety had not been violated as the plane was still being pushed by a truck away from the gate.

However, the judge rejected that argument saying the plane was classed as "in flight" and she interfered, correspondents say.

Cho, who is the daughter of the chairman of Korean Air, was also charged with assault and interfering in an investigation.

She had publicly apologised for the incident and resigned from all her posts at the airline in December.

The trial has opened a national debate about the Korean business system, which is dominated by family firms known as chaebols.

Some of the families running these businesses have been accused of high-handedness and acting with impunity.

Source: BBC