South Korea - The Korea Times

Arrest warrant requested for Ulsan vice mayor over election-meddling allegations

Song Byung-gi, Ulsan's vice mayor for economic affairs / YonhapProsecutors here said Friday they have requested an arrest warrant for an Ulsan vice mayor suspected of illegally intervening in the 2018 mayoral election in the southeastern metropolitan city.The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office said it asked the court Thursday evening to issue a pre-trial warrant to detain Song Byung-gi, Ulsan's vice mayor for economic affairs, on charges of conspiring with several presidential aides to influence the city's mayoral poll last year in violation of the Public Official Election Act.The warrant request came about one month after Seoul prosecutors took over the case from their counterparts in Ulsan and found Song was the source who tipped off a former presidential office Cheong Wa Dae official to bribery allegations involving former Ulsan Mayor Kim Gi-hyeon's confidants.Kim, who was then seeking reelection as mayor in the June 2018 elections as a candidate of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party, lost the race to current mayor Song Cheol-ho of the ruling Democratic Party, a longti

Dec 27, 2019

Arrest warrant requested for Ulsan vice mayor over election-meddling allegations

Arrest warrant for former justice minister rejected

Former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, center, arrives at the Seoul Eastern District Court in Seoul, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2019. APA Seoul court on Friday rejected an arrest warrant for former Justice Minister Cho Kuk in a probe into his suspected role in ending an inspection into bribery allegations involving a former Busan vice mayor.Earlier this week, prosecutors filed for an arrest warrant for Cho, former senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, on charges of abuse of authority in connection with the bribery case of now-arrested Yoo Jae-soo.After an hourslong hearing, Judge Kwon Deok-jin of the Seoul Eastern District Court rejected the warrant, saying that although the charges have been supported there is no concern the suspect will destroy evidence or flee."The nature of the offense in this case is not good, but considering the suspect's testimony and attitude during the hearing, and the fact that his spouse is currently under arrest and on trial for a different case, it is difficult to determine that the gravity of the offense warrants his arrest," Kwon said."For now, it is diff

Dec 27, 2019

Arrest warrant for former justice minister rejected

Supreme Prosecutors Office strongly opposes new prosecutorial reform bill

Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol heads to the cafeteria at the Supreme Prosecutors Office in Seoul, Thursday. The prosecution for the first time publicly voiced opposition to the prosecutorial reform bill. YonhapBy Kim Hyun-binThe prosecution has publicly voiced opposition against a move pushed by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and four minor parties to pass a prosecutorial reform bill that calls for establishing a new powerful investigative organization to oversee prosecutors' investigations into high-ranking government officials.The Supreme Prosecutors' Office issued a statement, Thursday, voicing opposition to the bill, which aims to establish the so-called High-Ranking Officials' Corruption Investigation Agency.The prosecution says the bill contains a “poisonous” clause that will weaken their investigative powers.Once passed, the prosecution will have to report all its investigations regarding high-ranking officials to the new agency.It is expressing concerns that its investigations could be leaked to Cheong Wa Dae and the ruling party if the agency is es

Dec 26, 2019By Kim Hyun-bin

Korean man confesses to killing 1, injuring 2 others in Vietnam

A Korean armed robber suspect is seen in a CCTV recording in Ho Chi Minh. He was arrested on Wednesday and confessed to the robbery which resulted in killing one and injuring two. Courtesy of Korean Consulate in Ho Chi MinhBy Kim Hyun-binA Korean residing in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, confessed to armed robbery in which he ended up killing one and injuring two others. According to the Korean Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City Thursday, the suspect surnamed Lee was arrested Wednesday and confessed to the crime while being interrogated by police.Lee was caught in a popular tourist area dubbed “tourist street.”On Dec. 21, Lee jumped the wall of a Korean businessman's house and stabbed the 50 year-old resident, his wife and daughter and stole valuables from the house. The wife died at the scene while the other two are currently recovering in hospital after undergoing major surgery. The exact motive for the crime has not been unveiled but most are pointing to the suspect's financial difficulties.“Lee graduated from a dentistry college in the Philippines, but was unable to rec

Dec 26, 2019By Kim Hyun-bin

Korean man confesses to killing 1, injuring 2 others in Vietnam

Ex-justice minister attends court hearing over ex-vice mayor's bribery case

Former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, center, arrives at the Seoul Eastern District Court on Thursday for a hearing over his alleged role in ending an inspection into bribery allegations involving a former Busan vice mayor. YonhapFormer Justice Minister Cho Kuk on Thursday attended a court hearing that will decide whether to arrest him over his suspected role in ending an inspection into bribery allegations involving a former Busan vice mayor.Earlier this week, prosecutors filed for an arrest warrant for Cho, former senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, on charges of abuse of authority in connection with the bribery case of now-arrested Yoo Jae-soo.Cho appeared at the Seoul Eastern District Court at around 10:05 a.m. The result is expected to be due late Thursday night."I've been enduring prosecutors' endless probe targeting my whole family. I do not agree with the content of the writ filed by prosecutors," Cho told reporters upon arriving at the court."I will fully explain my stance at the hearing. I hope that a judgment will be made thoroughly based on legal principles, and I

Dec 26, 2019

Ex-justice minister attends court hearing over ex-vice mayor's bribery case

'Taxi firms can give low grade on elderly cabbies' health condition automatically'

Taxis wait for passengers near Seoul Station in this file photo. A court recently ruled it was acceptable for a taxi company to automatically give a low rating on an elderly driver's health condition in a professional evaluation. Korea Times fileBy Kim RahnIt is acceptable for a taxi company to automatically give an elderly driver a low rating on their health condition in a professional evaluation, a court said. The Seoul High Court said Wednesday that it recently ruled the company's dismissal of a 66-year-old driver as fair.The ruling has come amid increasing traffic accidents involving elderly drivers.The Seoul High Court said Wednesday that it recently ruled in favor of the company's dismissal of a 66-year-old driver.The driver, whose name was withheld, had been renewing his contract with the company every year for five years since 2012. As the company decided not to renew the contract in 2017, the driver, then 66, sought help from the National Labor Relations Commission, which ruled it was an unfair dismissal. The company then filed the lawsuit.According to the court, the company

Dec 25, 2019By Kim Rahn

'Taxi firms can give low grade on elderly cabbies' health condition automatically'

Football legend's son caught drunk driving

Cha Se-jji and his actress wife Han Chae-ah. Capture from Cha Se-jji's InstagramBy Dong Sun-hwaCha Se-jji, son of football legend Cha Bum-kun, and husband of actress Han Chae-ah, was booked without detention for crashing into a car while driving drunk Monday. Cha's blood alcohol level was 0.246 percent, high enough to have his license revoked.Cha's car crashed into another vehicle in front of a restaurant in Jongno-gu, Seoul, at 11:40 p.m., according to police. The driver of the other car, a man in his 40s, suffered minor injuries. Cha Se-jji's father, Cha Bum-kun. YonhapPolice said Cha admitted he was drunk. He was released, but police plan to summon him again. Under the tougher anti-drunk driving law, he can face up to 15 years jail or a fine of up to 30 million won ($26,000). Mystic Story, representing Cha's wife Han, said Tuesday it had nothing to say about Cha's issue. “It is a personal affair. We will not issue an official statement,” a company official was quoted as saying. Cha, 33, and Han, 37, married in May last year. They have a daughter. Cha is the third son o

Dec 24, 2019By Dong Sun-hwa

Football legend's son caught drunk driving

Photos of murder suspect who 'destroyed' Korean family in Vietnam revealed

The suspect wears a mask, a light blue shirt and jeans. His nationality is unclear. Courtesy of Korean Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh CityBy Jung Min-hoPhotos of the primary suspect who allegedly killed a Korean woman and seriously wounded her husband and daughter in Ho Chi Minh City have been released.The Hankook Ilbo, sister paper of The Korea Times, reported Monday that Vietnam's officials released the photos of the man, who allegedly stabbed the woman, 49, to death and injured her husband, 50, and daughter, 16, at their home in Phu My Hung early Saturday morning.“Vietnamese authorities gave us his photos and asked us to help find the man. They seem to be determined to solve the case as soon as possible,” said an official at the Korean Consulate General in the city.Surveillance camera footage shows the man wearing a mask, a light blue shirt and jeans. His nationality is unclear.The suspect is possibly Korean. But, a person who spoke with the husband after the tragedy said the suspect “spoke awkward English.”Forensic officials performed an autopsy on the w

Dec 24, 2019By Jung Min-ho

Photos of murder suspect who 'destroyed' Korean family in Vietnam revealed

Korean woman killed, husband and daughter seriously injured in Vietnam robbery

Retrial of Hwaseong murder case likely to open

Lee Jin-dong, a prosecutor at the Suwon District Prosecution Office, speaks during a press briefing at the district prosecution office in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, Monday. /YonhapBy Bahk Eun-jiA court is likely to hold a retrial to exonerate a man who was allegedly wrongfully convicted of raping and killing a teenage girl, following the prosecution’s consent to the man’s request.The Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office said, Monday, it sent the Suwon District Court its opinion for the need to reopen and retry the case, as new findings show a high likelihood the man, surnamed Yoon, 52, was not the perpetrator of the crime.Yoon, then 22, was arrested in 1988 for raping and killing a 13-year-old girl at her home in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, and was sentenced to life in prison after admitting to the crime. He later claimed he made a false confession under duress due to torture from police officers, but higher courts did not accept the claim. So he served 19 and a half years in prison until being released in 2009 for good behavior.Yoon’s request for a retrial came

Dec 23, 2019By Bahk Eun-ji

Retrial of Hwaseong murder case likely to open

Prosecution requests arrest warrant for ex-justice minister

By Kang Seung-wooThe prosecution asked a court to issue an arrest warrant for former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, Monday, on charges that while at Cheong Wa Dae he unfairly intervened in a bribery probe involving a former Busan vice mayor.Former Justice Minister Cho KukThe Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office said it has requested a warrant to detain Cho over charges of abuse of power and obstruction of official duties.The request came after prosecutors questioned Cho twice last week, hinting that a warrant request was imminent. Cho was senior presidential secretary for civil affairs before taking the justice minister post.Seoul Eastern District Court is scheduled to review the prosecution's request on Thursday.Former Busan Vice Mayor Yoo Jae-soo allegedly took bribes worth 49.5 million won ($42,600) from four financial firms in various forms like golf clubs, flight tickets and gifts in 2017 while serving as director-general of the Financial Services Commission (FSC).Cheong Wa Dae's special inspection team was apparently investigating corruption allegations involving the vice mayo

Dec 23, 2019By Kang Seung-woo

Law & Crime