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CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.

Special counsel launches investigation into local election ballot shortages

A special counsel team officially launched Monday to investigate ballot shortages reported across the country during the June 3 local elections. The shortages, which affected dozens of polling stations, sparked major public outcry and calls for an independent investigation after some voters were forced to turn back without casting their votes. Special counsel Lee Tae-han's team will be tasked with investigating the National Election Commission's poor management of ballot papers during the local elections and other allegations of misconduct. "This special counsel investigation is aimed at protecting the people's constitutional right to vote and restoring fairness and trust in elections," said Lee during a briefing marking his team's launch. "(We) will swiftly and thoroughly investigate with a sense of tremendous responsibility." Lee's team will have up to 150 days to investigate various suspicions faced by the election watchdog, including alleged manipulation of voter data. The team's launch comes after the National Assembly passed a special counsel bill in July to investigate the ballot sh

Sep 7, 2026By Yonhap
Special counsel launches investigation into local election ballot shortages

Unification Church leader appeals 2-year sentence in bribery case

Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja has appealed her two-year prison sentence for bribing the wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol and other corruption charges, legal sources said Monday. Han's legal representatives submitted the appeal Friday, days after a Seoul court convicted the 83-year-old on charges of violating the anti-graft law, the political funds law, and embezzlement. Last Monday, the Seoul Central District Court found Han guilty of giving a luxury necklace and a Chanel bag to Yoon's wife, former first lady Kim Keon Hee, while requesting favors for the church through an intermediary in July 2022. It also convicted Han of colluding with former church officials to give 100 million won ($74,300) to Rep. Kweon Seong-dong of the People Power Party in January 2022. Special counsel Min Joong-ki's team, which sought a 13-year prison term for Han, has also appealed the court ruling.

Sep 7, 2026By Yonhap
Unification Church leader appeals 2-year sentence in bribery case

Suspect arrested after body of missing woman found in cafe freezer

PAJU — Police said Monday they have arrested a suspect after discovering the body of a woman who had gone missing inside a freezer at a cafe in the northern city of Paju. Police said they received the missing report on the woman, in her 60s, in Seoul early Friday. They traced her whereabouts and located her body inside the refrigerated container at the Paju cafe later the same day. Police then arrested the man operating the cafe as the suspect on Friday in Seoul. They believe the man, whose identity was withheld, locked the woman inside the freezer, and are investigating the circumstances of the incident.

Sep 7, 2026By Yonhap
Suspect arrested after body of missing woman found in cafe freezer

Police to launch dedicated body for reform this week

A new dedicated body will be launched this week to push for sweeping reforms of the police, the police said Sunday, amid growing calls for such a move following a legal revision that will transfer prosecutors' investigative authority to the police. Calls for police reform have also grown following controversy over a missing person case on the southern island of Jeju in which a police officer was found to have prematurely closed multiple missing person cases without confirming the safety of those reported missing. "This is to keep our promise to fundamentally reform the police," the agency said in a press notice, adding that details will be announced later. The notice came after Kim Jong-chul, the new acting head of the Korean National Police Agency, was briefed by senior officials on key pending issues over the weekend. "It is important that police officers in the field are well aware of the revised investigation procedures," Kim said. He also instructed officials to ensure that all police officers receive sufficient training this month to familiarize themselves with the revised Criminal

Sep 6, 2026By Yonhap
Police to launch dedicated body for reform this week

Taiwanese man sentenced to 6-year prison term in Korea for smuggling meth from Cambodia

BUSAN — A Taiwanese national has been sentenced to six years in prison for attempting to smuggle methamphetamine from Cambodia into Korea, a district court said Sunday. The Taiwanese man in his 70s was indicted for bringing 5.1 kilograms of meth into the country through Gimhae International Airport in the southeastern port city of Busan after receiving a suitcase containing three backpacks filled with the illegal substance in front of a hotel in Cambodia on March 22. The amount is estimated to be worth about 511.3 million won ($378,000). During the trial, the man claimed he was unaware that he was carrying methamphetamine and that he believed the suitcase contained "security tokens." He argued that a British man, whom he had met through an acquaintance, introduced himself as working for the International Monetary Fund and offered him $1 million to deliver the suitcase as part of a money laundering operation. The Busan District Court, however, found him guilty, saying that the man was at least aware of the possibility that the suitcase could contain drugs, based on the statements he made

Sep 6, 2026By Yonhap
Taiwanese man sentenced to 6-year prison term in Korea for smuggling meth from Cambodia

South Korean man sentenced to 5 years in prison for spying for NK

A South Korean man has been sentenced to five years in prison for spying for North Korea, officials said Saturday. The 43-year-old man, whose identity was withheld, was found to have received an order from a North Korean agent via the messaging app Telegram in May-June of 2021 to collect information about anti-Pyongyang defectors from North Korea and their activities. Around that time, the man took about 660 million won ($479,346) worth of virtual currency from the North Korean agent as funds for operating cryptocurrency investments. He later approached the head of a North Korean defector group, offering to sponsor the organization. He asked the leader to create a virtual currency wallet and forwarded its address to the North Korean agent. After the agent transferred 1 million won worth of Bitcoin in the name of donation, the man received videos and photos showing the group sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets in return. The man was also instructed by the agent to collect personal information of seven active-duty military officers, including their units and resident registration numbers, and a

Sep 5, 2026By Yonhap
South Korean man sentenced to 5 years in prison for spying for NK

3 ex-prosecutors, 1 former judge shortlisted for new investigative agency chief

A government-experts panel selected Friday three former senior prosecutors and one former judge as candidates to lead a new investigative agency for serious crimes. The panel of government officials and private experts shortlisted the four candidates — three current practicing lawyers and a law professor — to lead the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, set to be launched early next month, the nomination committee said. They will be submitted to Interior Minister Yun Ho-jung, who will pick one final candidate for the appointment by President Lee Jae Myung. Lee will formally appoint the agency chief after a parliamentary confirmation hearing. The nomination committee was launched to make candidate recommendations for the inaugural agency chief, ahead of the agency's planned launch on Oct. 2. It has also received public recommendations for the candidates. The new agency is being established as part of a sweeping reform in the criminal justice system that centers on stripping prosecutors of their independent and supplementary investigative powers. One of the candidates is Moon Hong-ju, a

Sep 4, 2026By Yonhap
3 ex-prosecutors, 1 former judge shortlisted for new investigative agency chief

Police to push for legal grounds to track locations of missing adults

Police will seek to introduce legal grounds to track the locations of adults reported missing as part of follow-up measures to a recent high-profile missing person case, officials said Friday. The National Police Agency said it will push to establish such provisions so that they will be able to confirm or track the data of missing adults, akin to the current system used to find missing children. Police investigators are currently restricted from tracking the locations of mobile devices of adults reported missing unless there are signs of a crime involved, forcing the police to presume that those missing may have simply left their homes. The agency said it also plans to strengthen management of missing person cases by establishing a dedicated organization to oversee such cases. The move comes amid growing calls to improve police handling of missing person cases following public outcry over a missing woman case on the southern resort island of Jeju. A police officer was found to have closed the case shortly after the woman was first reported missing in May without confirming her safety. Her

Sep 4, 2026By Yonhap
Police to push for legal grounds to track locations of missing adults

Korea eases visa extension rules for foreign victims of crime

Foreign nationals who are victims of crimes such as domestic violence will now be able to apply for permission to remain in the country, through immigration offices with jurisdiction over the shelters where they are staying. According to the Ministry of Justice, Friday, it has revised the rules to allow foreign victims of domestic violence, sexual violence, child abuse and other human rights violations to apply for extensions of stay and other permits at the immigration offices with jurisdiction over the shelters where they are staying, rather than their places of residence. Previously, foreign nationals were required to apply for immigration permits at offices covering their registered addresses. Concerns had been raised that requiring victims who fled domestic violence or other abuse to visit immigration offices near their former residences could expose their whereabouts and put their safety at risk. In response, the ministry expanded the rules so the foreign victims would not have to risk returning to the area of their registered address and potentially encountering the perpetrator of

Sep 4, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
Korea eases visa extension rules for foreign victims of crime

Special counsel appeals Unification Church leader's sentence in bribery case

A special counsel team on Friday appealed Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja's two-year prison sentence for bribing the wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol and other corruption charges. Special counsel Min Joong-ki's team, which had sought a 13-year prison term for the 83-year-old, said it submitted the appeal, arguing the sentence did not match the gravity of her crimes. The Seoul Central District Court on Monday convicted Han of giving a luxury necklace and a Chanel bag to Yoon's wife, former first lady Kim Keon Hee, while requesting favors for the church through an intermediary in July 2022. It also found her guilty of colluding with former church officials to give 100 million won ($66,400) to Rep. Kweon Seong-dong of the then ruling People Power Party (PPP) in January 2022. Min's team said it was difficult to accept the sentence, objecting to the court citing Han's efforts for world peace as a favorable sentencing factor for her. It also separately appealed a court decision to extend Han's suspension of detention until Sept. 30 due to health issues. Han has yet to file an appeal a

Sep 4, 2026By Yonhap
Special counsel appeals Unification Church leader's sentence in bribery case
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