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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 appeals life sentence for ex-president Yoon over insurrection conviction

A special counsel team said Wednesday it has appealed a court's recent life sentence for former President Yoon Suk Yeol over his insurrection conviction. The special counsel, led by Cho Eun-suk, said the appeal was filed due to "factual errors, legal misunderstandings and inappropriate sentencing." Last week, a Seoul court sentenced Yoon to life in prison for leading an insurrection when he briefly imposed martial law on Dec. 3, 2024. The court said Yoon sought to paralyze the National Assembly by sending troops to the compound following the declaration, concluding that the act met the constitutional definition of insurrection. However, it said Yoon decided to declare martial law on Dec. 1, 2024, rejecting the special counsel's claim that he had prepared the operation for more than a year. The special counsel also appealed the same court's rulings on other defendants who were sentenced alongside Yoon, including former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, former National Police Agency chief Cho Ji-ho and former Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency chief Kim Bong-sik. The former defense minister was

Feb 25, 2026By Yonhap
Special counsel appeals life sentence for ex-president Yoon over insurrection conviction

Ruling party proposes expanding spy law beyond 'enemy state' to cover other foreign nations

The National Assembly introduced a bill on Wednesday, led by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), that would expand the country’s espionage law to criminalize spying for any foreign government, not just North Korea, amid growing concerns over alleged intelligence activities involving Chinese nationals. The main opposition People Power Party (PPP), which opposed a set of revision bills on the Criminal Act, responded with a filibuster. If passed, the measure would mark the first fundamental overhaul of South Korea’s espionage statutes since their enactment in 1953. Currently, the law defines an "enemy state" almost exclusively as North Korea. This narrow legal framework has left prosecutors hamstrung, unable to levy treason-level charges against those spying for other foreign powers, including China or Russia, unless a direct link to Pyongyang could be proven. The proposed amendment reflects the changing nature of espionage targeting South Korea, which now extends beyond traditional military intelligence to industrial and advanced technology sectors. The bill was introduced by R

Feb 25, 2026By Lee Hyo-jin
Ruling party proposes expanding spy law beyond 'enemy state' to cover other foreign nations

Ex-President Yoon's appellate trial for obstruction of justice to begin next week

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol's appellate trial on obstruction of justice and other charges will begin next week, legal sources said Wednesday. The first hearing has been scheduled for 2 p.m. next Wednesday at the Seoul High Court, with proceedings led by Criminal Division 1 — one of two divisions recently designated to handle cases related to charges of insurrection, treason and rebellion. Yoon was sentenced by a lower court last month to five years in prison on charges of obstructing investigators' attempt to detain him last year following his short-lived imposition of martial law in December 2024. He was also found guilty of violating the rights of Cabinet members who were not called to a meeting to review his martial law plan, and drafting and later destroying a revised proclamation after the decree was lifted. The former president is standing a total of eight trials in connection with the martial law attempt, his wife's alleged corruption and the 2023 death of a Marine. In one of them, he was sentenced to life imprisonment last week for leading an insurrection through his declarat

Feb 25, 2026By Yonhap
Ex-President Yoon's appellate trial for obstruction of justice to begin next week

New special counsel launches to investigate uncovered allegations surrounding ex-President Yoon

A new special counsel team officially launched Wednesday to investigate remaining suspicions surrounding ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol, his failed martial law bid and allegations involving his wife. Special counsel Kwon Chang-young has been tasked with reopening investigations into insurrection charges stemming from Yoon's failed martial law bid, along with corruption allegations tied to former first lady Kim Keon Hee and the 2023 death of a Marine. Last month, the National Assembly passed a new special counsel bill after three special probes ended without fully addressing 17 major allegations, such as suspected planning made ahead of Yoon's martial law declaration on Dec. 3, 2024. "While the three special counsels produced many results since their launch, the second special counsel has been established reflecting the public's belief that there have been shortcomings," Kwon said in a briefing. Specifically, the new team is expected to investigate alleged attempts under Yoon's administration to induce North Korea's provocation by staging armed helicopter flights near the inter-Kor

Feb 25, 2026By Yonhap
New special counsel launches to investigate uncovered allegations surrounding ex-President Yoon

Nat'l Assembly set to vote on arrest motion of ex-DPK lawmaker over alleged bribery

The National Assembly was set to vote Tuesday on an arrest motion for Rep. Kang Sun-woo over bribery allegations related to a nomination by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK). Kang, now an independent lawmaker who formerly belonged to the DPK, is accused of receiving 100 million won ($68,300) in exchange for supporting the nomination of former Seoul city councilor Kim Kyung as a DPK candidate ahead of the 2022 local elections. Kang was ousted from the party after the allegations surfaced last month. The arrest motion was submitted to the National Assembly earlier this month after prosecutors sought an arrest warrant for Kang. The vote will take place during a plenary session later in the day. By law, sitting lawmakers are immune from arrest while parliament is in session and can only be put under arrest with consent from the National Assembly. The DP, which currently holds a parliamentary majority, has decided not to adopt an official party stance on the motion, allowing its party lawmakers to vote according to their own judgment. If the motion is approved by a majority vote, a cou

Feb 24, 2026By Yonhap
Nat'l Assembly set to vote on arrest motion of ex-DPK lawmaker over alleged bribery

Korea wins lawsuit seeking to revoke arbitration ruling in Elliott case

Korea has won a case filed at a British court seeking to reverse an international tribunal court's order to pay more than $100 million in damages to the U.S. hedge fund Elliott Investment Management over the 2015 merger of two Samsung affiliates, the justice ministry said Monday. In June 2023, the Korean government was ordered by the Netherlands-based Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) to pay $107.8 million, including damages and interest, to Elliott in a dispute stemming from the controversial merger of Samsung C&T Corp. and Cheil Industries Co. Seoul filed a lawsuit with London's High Court the following month, claiming the PCA ruling should be overturned due to a jurisdiction violation based on the provisions of the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement. But the British court dismissed the suit in August 2024, saying it has no jurisdiction over the case. In July last year, the British Court of Appeal ruled in favor of Korea and sent the case back to the High Court, which led to the latest ruling. With the decision, the case will again be reviewed for an arbitration ruling. Elliott was a sh

Feb 23, 2026By Yonhap
Korea wins lawsuit seeking to revoke arbitration ruling in Elliott case

2 teenagers nabbed for hacking Seoul's public bike server

Hackers who stole a huge amount of personal information about members of the Seoul city government's public bike sharing service, named Ttareungyi, in 2024 have been confirmed to be two teenagers, police said Monday. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said two high school students have been referred to the prosecution without detention on charges of violating the information and communications network law in connection with the Ttareungyi-related data breach. The duo is suspected of hacking into Seoul Facilities Corp.'s Ttareungyi server for two days, starting June 28, 2024, when they were middle school students, and stealing personal information of 4.62 million members. The leaked information included usernames, mobile phone numbers, email addresses, home addresses, dates of birth, genders and weights. Names and resident registration numbers were not leaked. Police suspect that the hacking was probably committed for the purpose of selling personal information, but they have yet to find any evidence of information leaks to third parties. One of the suspects told police he committed the

Feb 23, 2026By Yonhap
2 teenagers nabbed for hacking Seoul's public bike server

Police grill ex-PSS deputy chief over alleged naval ship party

Police on Monday questioned Kim Seong-hoon, former deputy chief of the Presidential Security Service, over allegations that former President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, held a drinking party on a Navy vessel during their summer vacation in 2023. Kim Seong-hoon, suspected of organizing the alleged naval ship party, appeared before a special police investigation team at 10 a.m. as an abuse of power suspect. Yoon and his wife are accused of using military assets for personal purposes by holding an onboard party at the Jinhae Naval Base in August 2023. Suspicions were also raised that karaoke equipment was installed on the naval ship and firecrackers were set off at that time. The police have taken over the case from a special counsel team. Kim Seong-hoon admitted to boarding the ship during questioning by the special counsel but claimed that there was no drinking party.

Feb 23, 2026By Yonhap
Police grill ex-PSS deputy chief over alleged naval ship party

Unification Church leader returns to behind bars after temporary release over health issues

Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja, who faces trial on bribery charges linked to former first lady Kim Keon Hee, has returned to detention after a court rejected her request to extend her temporary release due to health issues, legal sources said Sunday. The Seoul Central District Court on Friday rejected Han's request to extend her suspension from detention, placing her back behind bars the next day, according to the sources. On Feb. 11, the court decided to suspend her detention through Saturday after she requested that she stand trial without being detained due to health issues. Han reportedly received treatment for a recent fall during her release. It marked Han's second temporary release from detention after being placed under arrest last September. A court allowed her to undergo eye surgery in November. A special counsel team indicted Han in October on charges of violating the political fund law and other offenses. She is suspected of involvement in gifting a luxury necklace and a Chanel bag to the former first lady among various other allegations.

Feb 22, 2026By Yonhap
Unification Church leader returns to behind bars after temporary release over health issues

Disabled care facility director arrested over alleged sexual violence

A Seoul court on Thursday issued an arrest warrant for a disabled care facility director accused of committing sexual violence against multiple facility residents. The Seoul Central District Court issued the warrant, citing the risk of the man, surnamed Kim, destroying evidence and fleeing. Kim appeared at the court for his arrest warrant hearing earlier in the day after police requested the warrant on charges of raping and molesting the victims at the Saekdongwon group home for people with severe disabilities located in Ganghwa County, Incheon. Police suspect Kim abused at least six residents at the facility, but he has denied the allegations. Kim reportedly continued to deny the allegations during Thursday's hearing but eventually acknowledged part of them after police submitted to the court medical records of the victims and surveillance footage showing Kim assaulting a resident. Police began looking into the case in May last year and formed a special investigation team late last month. A victim first raised allegations over sexual violence occurring at the facility in February last ye

Feb 19, 2026By Yonhap
Disabled care facility director arrested over alleged sexual violence
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