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Debate over Korea's first transgender soldier heats up

Soldiers sing a military song at a ceremony welcoming new recruits into the armed forces, Jan. 8, Gwangju. / Courtesy of ROK Armed ForcesBy Lee Suh-yoonThe military's recent decision to have the nation's first transgender soldier sent before a review panel that could recommend her discharge lacks sufficient legal grounds, human rights lawyers said Sunday.Transgender people are banned from serving in the armed forces here but there are no specific regulations governing active-duty soldiers who undergo sexual reassignment surgery. So when military officials referred the soldier for a discharge evaluation, it was based on a legal argument that the soldier carried a “disability” following the sex change procedure. Losing male genitalia is in fact included in the list of “physical and mental disabilities” specified by the Military Personnel Management Act. This classification, however, should not apply in transgender soldiers' cases, says human rights lawyer Park Han-hee. “The cited physical disability is referring to male soldiers who are injured in the

Jan 19, 2020
Debate over Korea's first transgender soldier heats up

Growing numbers of illegal stayers leave Korea voluntarily

GettyimagesbankA growing number of foreigners staying illegally in South Korea are voluntarily leaving the country after the government offered various incentives, including an opportunity for reentry, to overstayers choosing to voluntary depart, a government agency said Friday.According to the Incheon Immigration Office, the number of illegal stayers leaving the country of their own free will soared 66 percent from 433 last November to 720 last December. In the first 14 days of this month, the number already reached 369.The surge came apparently after the Ministry of Justice last month announced a new policy of permitting overstayers voluntarily departing from South Korea by June this year to reenter the country if certain conditions are met.Those who leave on their own are exempted from paying fines and given an opportunity to obtain a short-term visa for 90 days of stay here after a certain period of time following departure.Those who reenter the country with the short-term visa and leave again before its expiry can also receive a multiple-entry visa with a validity period of one

Jan 17, 2020
Growing numbers of illegal stayers leave Korea voluntarily

Police officer fined for sexual harassment on street

The ruling has also put him at risk of losing his job. Korea Times fileBy Jung Min-hoA police officer has been fined for sexually harassing a woman while intoxicated.The Seoul Western District Court ruled Wednesday that the police officer, 31, surnamed Ahn, must pay a fine of 5 million won ($4,300) for touching the stranger against her will on a Seoul street on Aug. 3.The ruling has also put him at risk of losing his job. In 2018, the National Public Service Law was strengthened against sexual offenses: public servants fined of 1 million won or more for sexual crimes are subject to losing their status.At a hearing last month, the prosecution requested the court sentence the officer to a year in prison.

Jan 16, 2020By Jung Min-ho
Police officer fined for sexual harassment on street

Court sides with Kopino activist in defamation case

A screen capture of the bad fathers blog By Kim Se-jeong A local court in Suwon ruled in favor of an activist for “Kopinos,” Tuesday, who revealed the faces of people failing to pay child support in a defamation suit, a decision likely to add support to those who do not receive overdue payments. In a seven-juror-led ruling, the court acquitted Koo Bon-chang, 57, an activist and the manager of the blog (https://badfather540837381.wordpress.com/blog/) which revealed parents ― mostly fathers ― who don't pay child support for their children. Koo was previously known for his activism for the Kopino, abandoned children born between Filipino mothers and Korean fathers. He fought for the Filipina mothers to find the Korean fathers and receive child support by revealing the fathers' personal information online. The scope of his work expanded to cover cases in Korea and he was sued for defamation last year by five people whose faces were disclosed on the blog.In the verdict,

Jan 15, 2020By Kim Se-jeong
Court sides with Kopino activist in defamation case

Singer undergoes questioning on sexual assault allegation

Singer Kim Gun-mo arrives at the Gangnam Police Office in southern Seoul for an interrogation session, Wednesday./ YonhapBy Kim Se-jeongSouthern Seoul Police questioned singer Kim Gun-mo, Wednesday, over an allegation that he sexually assaulted a hostess bar employee in August 2016.The 52-year-old singer showed up at the Gangnam Police Office, refusing to answer any questions from journalists.The alleged victim filed a criminal complaint against him. “Kim has neither admitted to nor apologized for the offense, and the victim is still suffering,” the plaintiff's lawyer Kang Yong-suk said on her behalf at the Seoul Central District Prosecutor' Office, Dec. 9.On another occasion, the lawyer described how the assault happened. “Kim came to a hostess bar in Gangnam by himself, wearing a Batman T-shirt. After drinking with eight hostesses in a room, Kim made them all leave except the alleged victim and forced himself on her.”Kim denied the accusation and claimed the alleged victim was making a false statement against him. He filed a countersuit for defamation. 

Jan 15, 2020By Kim Se-jeong
Singer undergoes questioning on sexual assault allegation

Sex, lies and video threats: Beware of 'sextortion'

This could be the beginning of a long nightmare. GettyimagesbankBy Jung Min-hoIt was supposed to be just a short, fun game ― until it turned into a never-ending nightmare.A nice-looking woman online persuaded a man to take off his clothes and perform sexual acts in front of the webcam. So he did, only to realize in a few seconds that he had made a huge mistake.The woman then threatened to share the footage with his family and friends unless he sent her money. After he ignored her request, she sent the video to 20 of his friends through KakaoTalk, a mobile messenger.This is one of many stories shared on the online group “Victims of Body Cam Phishing.”Body cam phishing, or “sextortion,” is a form of blackmail in which criminals using fake identities trick people into performing sexual acts online and then threaten to release the videos or photos unless the victims pay.According to the National Police Agency, there has been an increase in these crimes over the past few years. In 2018, 1,406 cases were reported, up from 1,193 in 2016. Police believe the real numbe

Jan 15, 2020By Jung Min-ho
Sex, lies and video threats: Beware of 'sextortion'

Moon vows to speed up prosecution reform

Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae arrives at her office in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, Tuesday morning./ YonhapBy Kim Se-jeongPresident Moon Jae-in indicated he will speed up efforts to complete the much-touted reform of the prosecution. Moon sided with Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae, Tuesday, who has been engaged in a high-profile dispute with Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, showing his determination to accelerate prosecutorial reform.Speaking at a nationally televised press conference, Moon said, “The prosecution has the right to investigate, but the justice minister and president have the right to appoint the people to carry out the investigation. Just as the chief prosecutor's right should be respected, so should the president's and minister's rights.”Moon's open support for Choo is expected to widen the gap between the prosecution and Cheong Wa Dae over investigations into Moon's close aides.Also commenting on a recent rift between Yoon and Choo over the prosecutorial reassignment, Moon again supported Choo. “The minister gave the chief prosecutor the opportunity to

Jan 14, 2020By Kim Se-jeong
Moon vows to speed up prosecution reform

Court to retry 1988 murder case as convicted man claims innocence

A court plans to open a retrial of a 1988 rape and murder case over the possibility that an innocent man may have been wrongly convicted. Korea Times fileA South Korean court on Tuesday confirmed a plan to open a retrial of a 1988 rape and murder case following developments that indicated an innocent man may have been wrongly convicted.Investigators at the district prosecutors office in Suwon, south of Seoul, argued their probe found that a 53-year-old man, surnamed Yoon, could have been mistakenly charged for committing one of the crimes collectively known as the "Lee Chun-jae serial murder case," named after the prime suspect. Yoon, who accused the police of coercing him into making a false confession, was released on parole in 2009 after spending 20 years in prison. He filed for a retrial at the Suwon District Court last year.The district court said it has decided to open a retrial, explaining that various pieces of evidence provide credibility for Lee's confessions.The court plans to retry the case in March after holding a preparatory session with the prosecution and the defendan

Jan 14, 2020
Court to retry 1988 murder case as convicted man claims innocence

Court denies arrest warrant for Seungri

Seungri / YonhapA Seoul court on Monday again denied an arrest warrant for Seungri, the disgraced former Bigbang member accused of overseas gambling and procuring prostitutes for investors.Following a two-and-a-half hour hearing, the Seoul Central District Court dismissed the prosecution's request to detain Seungri, who was at the center of a major sex and drug scandal that roiled the K-pop industry last year.The court said it didn't deem detention of Seungri to be necessary or justified after looking into his role and involvement in wrongdoings, and also considered his attitude toward the prosecution's investigation.It is the second time the court has turned down law enforcement authorities' bid to detain the 29-year-old. A similar attempt by police in May fell through, with the court citing "room for dispute" and little concern that Seungri could destroy evidence.Upon arrival at the court hearing at around 10:30 a.m., Seungri briefly bowed his head to reporters asking him questions but did not comment.Seungri is suspected of regularly gambling at hotel casinos in Las Vegas for over

Jan 13, 2020
Court denies arrest warrant for Seungri
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