South Korea - The Korea Times

South Korean government blamed for human rights abuses in overseas adoptions

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) on Wednesday found that past Korean governments were responsible for human rights violations in overseas adoptions from the 1960s to the 1990s, pointing to falsified records and inadequate supervision. This marks the first official acknowledgment by the Korean government of the irregularities in the nation’s previous overseas adoption system — issues that hundreds of adoptees have been raising in recent years. Following a yearslong probe, the TRC concluded that legislative gaps, inadequate government oversight and administrative failures led to widespread misconduct. "For nearly 50 years following the Korean War, the government prioritized intercountry adoption as a cost-effective alternative to strengthening domestic child welfare policies. By giving full authority over adoption procedures to private agencies without proper oversight, the government failed in its duty to protect children’s rights," the commission said in the report. "The lack of oversight made it difficult to regulate misconduct by adoption agencies, ultimately resulti

Mar 26, 2025By Lee Hyo-jin

South Korean government blamed for human rights abuses in overseas adoptions

Korea expresses 'deep regret' over Japan's approval of textbooks distorting history

Korea on Tuesday voiced "deep regret" after Japan approved high school textbooks distorting historical facts on its easternmost islets of Dokdo, urging Tokyo to correct the issue. Kim Sang-hoon, director general for Asia-Pacific affairs at Seoul's foreign ministry, lodged the complaint as he called in Taisuke Mibae, minister at the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, in protest of the announcement. "The government expresses deep regret over the Japanese government's approval of high school textbooks that distort historical facts based on its own historical perspective, and we strongly urge Japan to rectify this issue," ministry spokesperson Lee Jae-woong said in a commentary. The ministry strongly protested that the Japanese government's repeated approval of textbooks containing unjust claims over Dokdo -- Korea's inherent territory historically, geographically and by international law. "We firmly state that we do not accept any claims by Japan regarding Dokdo," Lee said. Dokdo has long been a recurring source of tension between the two neighbors, as Tokyo continues to make the sovereignty claims

Mar 25, 2025By yonhap

Korea expresses 'deep regret' over Japan's approval of textbooks distorting history

Mother accused of shaking 5-month-old son to death admits to killing her baby

A woman in her 20s has been booked without detention for shaking her 5-month-old son to death in Incheon, police said Tuesday. The Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency said the suspect was charged with child abuse resulting in death under laws related to child abuse. She violently shook her baby at their home in Incheon’s Seo District on Friday because he would not stop crying. When the child began showing unusual symptoms, she took him to a hospital, but he died early the next morning on Saturday. Hospital staff, suspecting abuse, reported the case to police around 10 p.m. Friday. Officers arrested the woman at the funeral home the following day and sought a detention warrant, which the court denied. A preliminary autopsy by the National Forensic Service found the cause of death to be a brain hemorrhage. No external injuries were discovered on the child’s body. Police said the woman's husband was not home at the time of the incident. The couple also has another son, aged 2, who is currently in the woman's care. The woman “has admitted to all charges,” a police official said, adding

Mar 25, 2025By KTimes

Mother accused of shaking 5-month-old son to death admits to killing her baby

Constitutional Court delays presidential impeachment ruling as DPK chief awaits verdict Wednesday

It has now been exactly a month since the Constitutional Court concluded the final hearing in the impeachment trial of President Yoon Suk Yeol. The court has still not officially set a date for its ruling. The delay has sparked speculation and media scrutiny, especially given the court's initial promise of a speedy decision in the case. If the court does not deliver a ruling by Friday, there is a possibility that the decision could be delayed until the last day of this month or possibly even April. The timeline of Yoon's impeachment trial differs significantly from former President Roh Moo-hyun’s case in 2004, which reached a verdict just 14 days after the hearings concluded, and former President Park Geun-hye’s case in 2017, which took 11 days. In contrast, the deliberation in Yoon's case has already taken more than twice as long. Observers initially predicted that the ruling would come in mid-March, based on the typical two-week timeline for past presidential impeachment cases following the conclusion of hearings. But the initial prediction and subsequent expectations for the ruling

Mar 25, 2025By Anna J. Park

Constitutional Court delays presidential impeachment ruling as DPK chief awaits verdict Wednesday

Ex-President Moon's daughter booked on bribery allegations

Former President Moon Jae-in's daughter was recently booked on bribery allegations in connection with her ex-husband's hiring as an airline executive, the prosecution said Tuesday. Moon Da-hye was accused by a civic group last year of receiving bribes in the form of her ex-husband's salary and relocation expenses after they were transferred abroad following his appointment as executive director of Thailand-based budget carrier Thai Eastar Jet in 2018. The Jeonju District Prosecutors Office, which has been looking into a related case, said police transferred the case to them last month. The district office has been investigating suspicions that the ex-husband, surnamed Seo, was hired by the airline in exchange for the appointment of its owner, Lee Sang-jik, as head of the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency in 2018, when former President Moon was in office. The former president and Lee have been booked on allegations of receiving and offering bribes, respectively. On whether Moon's wife and former first lady Kim Jung-sook could also be booked in the case, a prosecution official said the possibi

Mar 25, 2025By yonhap

Ex-President Moon's daughter booked on bribery allegations

How did Prime Minister Han Duck-soo get reinstated?

The Constitutional Court’s decision to dismiss a motion to impeach Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and reinstate him as acting president reflects that charges brought against him were not necessarily grave enough to warrant dismissal from office. In Monday's ruling, five of the eight justices voted against the impeachment motion, while only one justice approved it. Two justices voted to reject the motion entirely, citing the lack of support from the two-thirds of the National Assembly required for presidential impeachments. The ruling came 87 days after the National Assembly impeached Han over his alleged role in President Yoon Suk Yeol’s Dec. 3 martial law declaration, among other reasons. At the heart of Han’s impeachment trial was his alleged involvement in the president’s martial law imposition, his refusal to appoint additional justices to the Constitutional Court, his refusal to designate a permanent special counsel to investigate insurrection charges against Yoon, his failure to promulgate two special counsel bills targeting Yoon and first lady Kim Keon Hee and his efforts to

Mar 24, 2025By Kwak Yeon-soo

How did Prime Minister Han Duck-soo get reinstated?

Man gets 7 years as washing machine reflection captures sexual assault

A man in his 20s who had denied committing sexual assault was sentenced to seven years in prison after footage reflecting the crime scene on a washing machine lid was accepted as critical evidence. The Chuncheon branch of the Seoul High Court presided over by Judge Lee Eun-hye, sentenced the 24-year-old man to seven years in prison on charges including rape, unlawful confinement and indecent assault. The court also ordered a seven-year ban on employment at institutions involving minors and people with disabilities, along with a seven-year electronic monitoring order. He was indicted for raping his then-girlfriend six times between March and April last year. According to the indictment, the 24-year-old confined the woman for several hours and sexually assaulted her after she expressed her intention to end their relationship. The breakup followed her discovery of sexually explicit photos and videos of other women on the man's phone. He initially denied all charges during the prosecution's investigation. However, the woman submitted a 39-minute video as evidence. Although only two minutes sh

Mar 24, 2025By KTimes

Man gets 7 years as washing machine reflection captures sexual assault

Constitutional Court reinstates PM in impeachment trial

The Constitutional Court rejected the National Assembly's impeachment motion against Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Monday. The verdict came 87 days after the Assembly voted to impeach Han, who had been taking the role of acting president after President Yoon Suk Yeol was suspended over his Dec. 3 martial law declaration. With the verdict, he immediately returned to work as prime minister and acting president, taking over from Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok, who had led the government since Han's suspension on Dec. 27. Five of the eight justices voted against the motion, while one voted to uphold it and two dismissed the case for failing to meet the requirements for impeachment. The Assembly impeached Han citing several grounds, with one of the key reasons being that Han colluded or at least abetted the martial law imposition by suggesting Yoon hold a Cabinet meeting to discuss the issue just before the president's declaration, because approval at a Cabinet meeting is a requirement for martial law. But the court ruled that there was no evidence or objective material to confirm that Han wa

Mar 23, 2025By Anna J. Park

Constitutional Court reinstates PM in impeachment trial

Critical week lies ahead as nation awaits verdicts on PM, opposition leader

The judiciary is poised to deliver rulings on at least two high-profile cases this week, which are expected to reshape the nation’s political landscape. The political aftermath of the court decisions could be even larger with the possibility for yet another, which, if taking place this week, will be the most important ruling — that for President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment over his Dec. 3 martial law declaration. On Monday, the Constitutional Court will render a verdict on Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, after 192 lawmakers at the National Assembly voted to impeach him on Dec. 27. The Assembly passed the impeachment motion after accusing him of rebellion by conniving with Yoon to declare martial law on Dec. 3 and of refusing to appoint three Assembly-selected candidates for the Constitutional Court bench, among other charges. His alleged cooperation in imposing military martial law is intertwined with the impeachment trial for Yoon, the final decision-maker. The justices’ views on the legitimacy of that act could be expressed in their ruling on Han, who allegedly tried to prevent th

Mar 23, 2025By Jung Min-ho

Critical week lies ahead as nation awaits verdicts on PM, opposition leader

Prime minister’s impeachment verdict to be litmus test for ruling on president

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo’s impeachment verdict could serve as a litmus test for the potential removal of President Yoon Suk Yeol, legal experts said Friday. The Constitutional Court announced Thursday it will deliver its verdict on whether to uphold Han's impeachment at 10 a.m. Monday. However, the court has not yet disclosed the date for its ruling on the president’s impeachment trial for his Dec. 3 martial law declaration. The ruling on Han’s impeachment will come 87 days after the National Assembly passed a motion to oust him for his alleged involvement in Yoon’s martial law imposition. His impeachment trial concluded on Feb. 19 after only one hearing. At the core of Han’s impeachment trial are several allegations: his purported involvement in the president's martial law imposition, his refusal to appoint additional justices to the Constitutional Court, his refusal to appoint a permanent special counsel to investigate insurrection charges against Yoon, his failure to promulgate two special counsel bills targeting Yoon and first lady Kim Keon Hee, and his efforts to manag

Mar 21, 2025By Kwak Yeon-soo

Law & Crime