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Ex-Busan mayoral candidate arrested over alleged staged assault

BUSAN — A court issued an arrest warrant for a former Busan mayoral candidate Wednesday for allegedly staging an assault on himself ahead of last month's local elections. The Busan District Court issued an arrest warrant for Jeong Yi-han, former candidate of the minor New Reform Party, citing concerns that he could destroy evidence, after prosecutors filed for a warrant for his arrest last week on charges of obstruction of official duties by fraudulent means and violating the election law. Jeong claimed he was attacked while campaigning during the June 3 local elections, but later became the subject of allegations that the incident had been staged. A man surnamed Yoon, who allegedly threw a beverage at Jeong, was also formally arrested. The court cited the risk of evidence destruction and flight. Jeong is accused of faking the attack on April 27 during a street campaign ahead of the elections. He was seen falling after the driver of a passenger car sprayed a beverage on him as he greeted commuters in the southeastern city. He was diagnosed with a concussion after being rushed to a hospi

Jul 8, 2026By Yonhap
Ex-Busan mayoral candidate arrested over alleged staged assault

Google, Meta, TikTok named under 'fake news' law

Korea's media regulatory agency on Wednesday designated eight major online platforms — including Google, Meta, TikTok and domestic giants Naver and Kakao — subject to regulation under the revised Information and Communications Network Act, commonly known as the "fake news" law, which took effect Tuesday. Shin Young-kyu, director general of the Korea Media and Communications Commission (KMCC)’s consumer policy bureau, announced during a briefing that the watchdog had finalized the list and notified the platforms of their designation. The full list covers four Korean platforms — Naver, Kakao, Nate and DC Inside — and four overseas services — Google, Meta, X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok. The law applies to services where users can post information that others can view and share — covering social media platforms, online communities and video-sharing services. Private one-on-one messaging and closed message services are excluded. Open chat services accessible to an unspecified number of users, however, may fall within the scope of the law. These platforms are subject to regula

Jul 8, 2026By Park Ji-won
Google, Meta, TikTok named under 'fake news' law

Ex-Busan mayoral candidate appears for arrest warrant hearing over staged assault

A former Busan mayoral candidate appeared at a court Wednesday for a hearing on his potential arrest over allegations that he staged an assault on himself in an apparent attempt to woo voters ahead of last month's local elections. Jeong Yi-han, former candidate of the minor Reform Party, arrived at the Busan District Court after prosecutors filed for a warrant for his arrest last week on charges of obstruction of official duties by fraudulent means and violating the election law. "I am sorry. I will clearly disclose all the facts in the courtroom," he told reporters when asked whether he admitted to the allegations. The court is expected to make a decision on his arrest as early as later in the day. Jeong is accused of faking the attack on April 27 during a street campaign ahead of the June 3 elections. He was seen falling after the driver of a passenger car sprayed a beverage on him as he greeted commuters in the southeastern city of Busan. He was diagnosed with a concussion after being rushed to a hospital, according to his election camp. While the incident was initially seen as an attac

Jul 8, 2026By Yonhap
Ex-Busan mayoral candidate appears for arrest warrant hearing over staged assault

3 family members found dead at apartment in Osan

Three family members have been found dead at an apartment unit in Osan, south of Seoul, police said Wednesday. The three were identified as a married couple in their 50s and their son in his 20s, according to the local government and police, which recovered the bodies Tuesday morning following a report from an acquaintance of the deceased husband. The acquaintance told the police that he had received a distressed text message from the man expressing despair about his financial hardships. A suicide note was reportedly found inside the apartment, indicating the family was struggling with debt accumulated from business operations. Officials also noted that the son had a history of medical treatment for depression. No signs of foul play were found and the exact cause of death will be determined based on autopsy results, the police said.

Jul 8, 2026By Yonhap
3 family members found dead at apartment in Osan

Aide questioned over Shincheonji founder's alleged political lobbying

Investigators on Wednesday questioned a close aide to Lee Man-hee, the founder of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, over allegations that Lee lobbied political circles, legal sources said. A joint police-prosecution task force called in Kim Pyung-hwa earlier in the day to determine whether Lee and the religious sect's former secretary-general, Go Dong-an, embezzled church funds and lobbied politicians. Kim has served as Lee's primary assistant, overseeing administrative duties at the church's general assembly. Lee is currently under arrest on charges of pressuring at least 56,472 church members to join what is now the main opposition People Power Party between July 2021 and January 2024 in an attempt to influence the outcome of the party's 2022 presidential primary and 2024 general election primaries. The trial is scheduled to begin on July 24.

Jul 8, 2026By Yonhap
Aide questioned over Shincheonji founder's alleged political lobbying

Special counsel seeks arrest warrant for ex-presidential security aide over alleged role in martial law

A special counsel team on Tuesday sought an arrest warrant for a former senior security aide to ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol over his alleged role in the 2024 imposition of martial law. The team, led by special counsel Kwon Chang-young, filed for a warrant to arrest former Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo on charges of playing a key role in Yoon's martial law bid and abuse of authority, according to legal sources. Kim is accused of sending messages to the United States and other countries through foreign affairs officials in an attempt to justify Yoon's imposition of martial law shortly after it was declared. The messages reportedly described the martial law imposition as a move intended to protect liberal democracy and a response to the National Assembly's efforts to paralyze the executive branch. The special counsel team added that it did not seek an arrest warrant for former National Security Adviser Shin Won-sik, considering his involvement to be relatively minor.

Jul 7, 2026By Yonhap
Special counsel seeks arrest warrant for ex-presidential security aide over alleged role in martial law

N. Korea-born ex-lawmaker's son faces 5-year prison demand over crypto fraud

Prosecutors on Tuesday demanded a five-year prison sentence for the eldest son of former People Power Party lawmaker Thae Yong-ho on charges of swindling about 1.4 billion won ($924,086) in a cryptocurrency investment scam. The prosecution made the request during the first hearing of the case involving the defendant at the Seoul Central District Court. The younger Tae faces charges including fraud under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes. "The nature of the crime is grave because the total damage reached 1.4 billion won and the defendant exploited the victims' trust in him," the prosecution said. "He continued his crimes through a Ponzi scheme, using money from new investors to pay off his existing debts." The state prosecutors also noted that the damage has not been recovered yet and it is unlikely that the victims will get their money back anytime soon. The defendant admitted to his crimes and asked the court for mercy during the trial. "I admit my wrongdoing and I have cooperated faithfully with the investigation by submitting all my financial and cryptocu

Jul 7, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
N. Korea-born ex-lawmaker's son faces 5-year prison demand over crypto fraud

Q&A Korea's 'fake news' law is in force — what you need to know

Korea’s revised Information and Communications Network Act, also dubbed the “fake news” law, came into force on Tuesday, reshaping how unlawful information is handled online. Under the new rules, “false or manipulated” information is defined as content whose whole or partial substance is untrue, or altered in a way that misleads audiences into believing it is factual. The revision also introduced a new category of illegal hate or discriminatory expression which covers posts that incite violence, discrimination or hatred against individuals or groups based on traits such as race, nationality or gender. Amid concerns over vague legal definitions and potential conflicts with constitutional free-speech protections, the state-run Korea Media and Communications Commission (KMCC) provided answers to frequently asked questions to address key issues. Q. What should I do if I suffer harm from false or manipulated information? A. Anyone who encounters information suspected of being false or manipulated can file a report with a large online service provider, including the location of the c

Jul 7, 2026By Jung Min-ho
[Q&A] Korea's 'fake news' law is in force — what you need to know

Shincheonji leader's trial over forced party memberships to begin July 24

A trial for Lee Man-hee, the founder of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a nonmainstream religious sect, will begin later this month on charges that he had forced followers to join the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) ahead of elections, legal sources said Tuesday. The Seoul Central District Court has scheduled the trial's first hearing for July 24, according to the sources. Lee is charged with forcing at least 56,472 church members to join the PPP between July 2021 and January 2024 in an attempt to influence the outcome of the party's 2022 presidential primary and 2024 general election primaries. A joint police-prosecution task force indicted Lee under physical detention on June 29, first applying charges regarding the forced memberships in July 2021, as the five-year statute of limitations was drawing near.

Jul 7, 2026By Yonhap
Shincheonji leader's trial over forced party memberships to begin July 24

Arrest warrant sought for former Busan mayoral candidate over staged assault

The prosecution has filed for an arrest warrant for a former Busan mayoral candidate on suspicions of staging an assault on himself in an apparent attempt to woo voters ahead of local elections last month, police said Tuesday. The police earlier asked the prosecution to seek the arrest of Jeong Yi-han, former Busan mayoral candidate of the minor New Reform Party, for faking an attack by a stranger during a street campaign ahead of the June 3 elections. The prosecution filed its request for a warrant Friday, according to police officials. Jeong was seen falling after the driver of a passenger car sprayed a beverage on him while Jeong was greeting commuters in the southeastern port city of Busan on April 27. Jeong was rushed to a hospital where he was diagnosed with a concussion. At first, the incident was widely seen as an attack on a young politician. Things turned quickly after it was discovered that Jeong and his purported attacker were close acquaintances, and that the hospital he was diagnosed at is run and owned by his father. A hearing for Jeong's arrest warrant is scheduled for Wed

Jul 7, 2026By Yonhap
Arrest warrant sought for former Busan mayoral candidate over staged assault
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