South Korea - The Korea Times

Korea is no longer 'drug free' country

Marijuana products including edibles and an e-cigarette cartridge in the customs office at Incheon International Airport. Illegal drugs have become more accessible to people here. / YonhapInternet helps drug dealers prosperBy Kim Jae-heunWith the image surrounding illegal drugs in Korea becoming slightly more relaxed, and an increasing number of young Koreans encounter them abroad, domestic demand for such substances has increased. As the supply has increased to meet demand, and with the internet making it easier to trade illegal substances, drugs have become more accessible to a wider range of people. Many young Koreans say they had their first experience of illegal drugs when studying overseas. In particular, Korean students staying in the United States say they have easy access to drugs that are illegal here on their university campuses. “My first experience was taking marijuana in America,” a 31-year-old businessman told The Korea Times, asking to be identified only as Kim. “I was a freshman and it was really easy to get marijuana there. At first, you try edible

Dec 9, 2019By Kim Jae-heun

LKP chief asks President to explain Cheong Wa Dae's alleged election intervention

Hwang Kyo-ahn, chairman of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP), speaks during a seminar held at the National Assembly, Friday. YonhapBy Park Ji-wonMain opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) Chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn urged President Moon Jae-in to address suspicions that the presidential office intervened in last year's local elections for Ulsan city mayor. Hwang also pledged to form a special committee to call for a special counsel and a parliamentary investigation into the suspicions amid escalating tension between Cheong Wa Dae and the prosecution. “It has become more obvious that Cheong Wa Dae was involved in the election for Ulsan city mayor… The LKP will form a special committee on the corruption scandal to call for a special counsel and a parliamentary investigation and start rallies against the government,” Hwang said during a party meeting at the National Assembly, Monday.“Cheong Wa Dae and an investigative agency pressured a candidate of the opposition party and rigged public opinion using every possible method. This is something that shou

Dec 9, 2019By Park Ji-won

LKP chief asks President to explain Cheong Wa Dae's alleged election intervention

Korean tourist injured in unprovoked knife attack in Thailand

The Korean tourist was attacked in front of a hotel in Bangkok. gettyimagesbank By Dong Sun-hwa, Park Si-soo A South Korean tourist was slashed in the face by another foreigner in an unprovoked knife attack in Thailand on Thursday. The victim ― a woman in her 60s ― is in stable condition after emergency surgery, according to the South Korean embassy in Bangkok.The attack happened at 9:50 a.m. on Thursday in front of a hotel in Bangkok. The offender fled after the attack and was caught three hours later. Embassy officials said the two did not know each other. The attacker came from a “third country” but further details were not available. An investigation is under way. The victim was touring the Southeast Asian country with her nephew.

Dec 8, 2019By Dong Sun-hwa

Korean tourist injured in unprovoked knife attack in Thailand

Prosecution searches Ulsan vice mayor's office, home

Investigators enter Ulsan Vice Mayor Song Byung-gi's office in Ulsan Metropolitan City headquarter in Ulsan, Friday, to carry out a seach and seizure on allegation related to Cheong Wa Dae's election meddling row. / YonhapBy Kim Jae-heunThe prosecution is widening its investigation into alleged election-meddling involving Cheong Wa Dae as it carried out a search and seizure on the office and residence of Ulsan Vice Mayor Song Byung-gi and summoned him for questioning, Friday. Investigators from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office arrived at Ulsan City Hall at 8:50 a.m. to confiscate Song's computers and documents as evidence. They also searched his car. Song was not present at his office as he took the day off. The search comes after Song was found to have tipped off a Cheong Wa Dae official regarding bribery allegations involving former Ulsan Mayor Kim Gi-hyeon's aides to help Song Cheol-ho win the local elections last year. Song is a close friend of President Moon Jae-in.The case blew up into a massive investigation after Kim publicly claimed that the Ulsan Metropolitan

Dec 6, 2019By Kim Jae-heun

Prosecution searches Ulsan vice mayor's office, home

Ulsan vice mayor summoned in election-meddling probe

Song Byung-giAn Ulsan vice mayor was questioned by prosecutors Friday as part of their widening probe into an alleged election-meddling row involving officials at the presidential office.Song Byung-gi, the city's vice mayor in charge of economic affairs, attended a questioning at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office in southern Seoul. He was reportedly summoned to testify as a witness.Song told journalists that he came to the prosecution office in the morning and that the probe "has no relation whatsoever to Cheong Wa Dae," adding he has never visited the presidential office in relation to the allegations.The summoning came on the same day investigators were dispatched to Ulsan, 414 kilometers southeast of Seoul, to search the vice mayor's office, car and residence after he was found to have tipped off a Cheong Wa Dae official on 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

Dec 6, 2019

Ulsan vice mayor summoned in election-meddling probe

When justice systems fail to protect women

Women's rights groups rally outside Seoul Central District Court, Nov. 29, calling for Judge Oh Deok-sik to step down for his insensitivity to sexual violence victims. / Korea Times photo by Lee Suh-yoonK-pop idol's death questions courts' ability to handle gender-related crimes By Lee Suh-yoonIt is not easy for a sexual violence victim to decide to bring their case to the court and continue a legal battle. They have to be reminded of the horrible incident numerous times during hearings, face countersuits from the offenders and are often subjected to slutshaming in social circles.But victims choose to go through the legal battle because they believe the judiciary will bring justice and give perpetrators the punishment that is due.However, in Korea the reality is that many victims are frustrated with the conservative and male-dominated judiciary's decisions that are very lenient toward male sex-crime offenders, and in some case the court case itself causes the victims more emotional damage.When Goo Ha-ra, former member of K-pop girl group Kara, took her life last month, many who mourn

Dec 4, 2019

When justice systems fail to protect women

Prosecution raids Cheong Wa Dae office in probe of power abuse scandal

TV camera crews and photographers stand outside Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Wednesday. The prosecution raided a division of the presidential office in a widening investigation of an alleged cover-up of an inspection of an ex-vice mayor who faces bribery charges. YonhapThe prosecution raided a division of the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae on Wednesday for its probe into an alleged cover-up of an inspection into an ex-vice mayor who faces bribery charges.The Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors Office said it launched the raid on the Cheong Wa Dae office at 11:30 a.m. after securing a warrant from a court.The move appears to be aimed at obtaining evidence in the case of Yoo Jae-soo, the former vice mayor of Busan arrested over bribery charges.The 55-year-old Yoo was under surveillance of a special inspection team of Cheong Wa Dae over allegations that he took bribes from businesses when he served as director-general of the Financial Services Commission in 2017.But Yoo avoided punishment for an unknown reason and became Busan's vice mayor in charge of economic affairs in 2018.The raid app

Dec 4, 2019

Prosecution raids Cheong Wa Dae office in probe of power abuse scandal

'Heavier penalty for child-porn crimes'

This screenshot shows a statement that investigative agencies from 32 countries have closed down a child pornography website named “Welcome to Video.” A 23-year-old Korean surnamed Son was found to have established and run the platform with obscene content featuring children, but the courts’ light punishment he received from Korean courts has caused a controversy both here and abroad. / Courtesy of National Police AgencyBy Kim Jae-heunThe gender equality ministry has called for sentencing guidelines related to child pornography crimes, following criticism that the Korean judiciary is too lenient on the perpetrators.Gender Equality and Family Minister Lee Jung-ok met with Kim Young-ran, chairwoman of the Sentencing Commission, Tuesday, to discuss the issue.The commission under the Supreme Court establishes sentencing guidelines which judges can refer to when deciding on a punishment. It has come up with guidelines for about 20 crimes, such as murder, bribery, sexual violence, fraud, embezzlement and Election Law violations, but there haven't been any about crimes inv

Dec 3, 2019By Kim Jae-heun

Civic group sues Disney Korea over alleged screen monopoly with 'Frozen 2'

A civic group has filed a complaint against the Korean branch of Walt Disney Company for allegedly violating the Antitrust Act here by “occupying” up to 88 percent of the screens in local movie theaters. / Courtesy of Walt Disney CompanyBy Kim Jae-heunA civic group has filed a complaint against the Korean branch of Walt Disney Company for allegedly violating the Antitrust Act here by “occupying” up to 88 percent of the screens in local movie theaters. According to the civic group Public Welfare Committee (PWC), Monday, it asked the prosecution to investigate the U.S. entertainment conglomerate's monopolization of screens with its recent animated film “Frozen 2.”The committee said the film set a new record of most played movie here, being screened 16,220 times a day and occupying 88 percent of all screens here as of Nov. 23.“Such a record was only possible because Walt Disney Company has secured over 50 percent of the screens, which is against the antitrust law,” the group said in the complaint.“In France, it is illegal if one film

Dec 2, 2019By Kim Jae-heun

Civic group sues Disney Korea over alleged screen monopoly with 'Frozen 2'

Prosecution widening probe into Cheong Wa Dae

By Kang Seung-wooAmid mounting suspicions of “improper investigations” by the office of the senior presidential secretary for civic affairs, the prosecution is seeking to conduct a search and seizure operation of its Cheong Wa Dae location and will summon current and former officials for questioning.Several incumbent and former officials working at the office are suspected of having exerted influence to abruptly end an investigation by a special team into alleged illegalities committed by former Busan Vice Mayor Yoo Jae-soo; and also to have meddled in last year's local elections in Ulsan. Some officials have already been summoned for questioning, while one of the former investigators, who was scheduled to be questioned Sunday afternoon about the election meddling allegations, killed himself hours before he was to appear before prosecutors.Carrying out a search and seizure operation at Cheong Wa Dae, a facility linked to national security, is virtually impossible, and prosecutors are expected to ask the civic affairs office to submit requested documents.The prosecution wa

Dec 2, 2019By Kang Seung-woo

Law & Crime