South Korea - The Korea Times

Korean Air 'nut rage' heiress grilled over alleged assault, child abuse

Cho Hyun-ah, the infamous "nut rage" heiress to Korean Air Lines Co., has been grilled by prosecutors over allegations of assault and child abuse raised by her husband, with whom a divorce suit is under way, sources said Saturday.Prosecutors called in Cho, a former vice president of the air carrier and daughter of late Hanjin Group chief Cho Yang-ho, earlier this week, after her husband, surnamed Park, filed an accusation against her in February.Park also filed a divorce suit in April last year, citing Cho's verbal and physical assaults. They tied the knot in 2010 and have twin sons.The husband accused Cho of throwing objects at him or their sons and verbally abusing their children for not properly eating their meal. Cho reportedly denied the allegations during the questioning. Prosecutors are expected to decide whether to indict her as early as this month. (Yonhap)

Nov 23, 2019

Gov't announces measures to protect immigrant wives

Gender Minister Lee Jung-ok, second from right, attends a policy meeting on abused immigrant women at Yangju, where a Vietnamese wife was recently killed by her Korean husband, Wednesday. / YonhapBy Lee Suh-yoonKorean men with criminal records will be banned from bringing marriage migrants to the country, and foreign brides who suffer domestic violence will be able to easily report to police through a multilingual app, the government said, Friday. In addition, the government will crack down on unregistered international marriage brokers.The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family announced sweeping measures to better protect foreign women from domestic violence. The policies were designed by a special taskforce of field experts and activists, formed shortly after a harrowing video showing a Korean man beating his Vietnamese wife went viral in July.“Through these measures, we will help immigrant women settle down and demonstrate their full potential as members of society,” Gender Minister Lee Jung-ok said. “We will also take stern action against illegal human rights v

Nov 22, 2019

Gov't announces measures to protect immigrant wives

Kim Hak-eui walks free

Former Deputy Justice Minister Kim Hak-eui walks out of Dongbu Detention Center in eastern Seoul, Friday, after Seoul Central Court frees him of bribery charges. Kim was arrested in May as the prosecution reopened an investigation into allegations he received prostitution services and other bribes from businessmen six years ago. / Yonhap

Nov 22, 2019

Prosecutors question Busan vice mayor over bribery allegations

By Kim Hyun-binProsecutors summoned Busan Vice Mayor for Economic Affairs Yoo Jae-soo for questioning, Thursday, over his alleged acceptance of bribes while working at the Financial Services Commission (FSC) in 2017.The questioning came two days after the prosecution searched his residences in Seoul and Busan, his office in Busan and companies related to the allegations.Vice Busan Mayor for Economic Affairs Yoo Jae-sooHe underwent interrogation at the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office as a suspect.Prosecutors are investigating if Yoo received money and valuables from financial company officials while he was serving as financial policy director at the FSC.In 2017, Yoo was investigated by the special inspection team under Cheong Wa Dae's civil affairs office over allegations that companies under the FSC's supervision provided him with money, flight tickets for his children who were studying abroad, and other perks such as a car with a driver.However, the investigation was halted abruptly. No disciplinary action was taken at the time, and Yoo was assigned as an adviser to the r

Nov 21, 2019By Kim Hyun-bin

Prosecutors question Busan vice mayor over bribery allegations

Man jailed for killing cat

In footage captured on July 13, the accused slams the cat into the ground.By Park Si-soo In a rare tough punishment for animal abuse, a South Korean court has imprisoned a man in his 30s accused of killing the pet cat of his neighbor in July. Seoul Western District Court on Thursday sentenced the man, 39, identified only by his surname Jung, to six months' prison for violating the Animal Protection Act. He was taken to prison after the ruling. “The way the crime took place was extremely cruel and it's hard to find the attitude of respect for the dignity of life with the accused,” said Judge Yoo Chang-hoon in the ruling. “He killed the cat that did no harm to him only because he had repulsion toward cats.”The judge said he had considered “the extreme psychological pain the cat's owner has been suffering, no forgiveness from the owner and public outrage driven by the crime” in determining the sentence. In footage captured on July 13, the accused pours an unidentified liquid onto the body of the cat he killed for no reason.The man was accused of killi

Nov 21, 2019

S. Korea eases visa rules for industry, academic professionals

Foreigners look at brochures at a job fair for foreign residents at COEX, Seoul, in this September photo. / YonhapBy Lee Suh-yoonVisa issuance requirements will be eased for foreigners with specialized skills in specific fields, and academic professionals planning to teach here, while companies failing to pay the appropriate taxes will not be allowed to invite foreign workers until they do so, according to the government, Monday.The justice ministry announced these as part of a set of measures to streamline the visa application procedure for academic and industry professionals.According to the changes, which took effect Monday, foreigners holding specialized skills in the fields of industrial materials, parts and equipment will be able to apply for and receive their working visa online, an option that was previously only open to university professors, researchers, and professionals and workers in designated “high-tech” sectors. The change eliminates the need to visit a South Korean embassy and shortens the application period from an average of one month to a week.Foreign

Nov 18, 2019

S. Korea eases visa rules for industry, academic professionals

Korean man caught for killing Vietnamese wife

By Kang Seung-wooA Korean man is being held for allegedly killing his Vietnamese wife and burying her body, police said, Monday.According to Yangju Police Station in Gyeonggi Province, the man, 57, identified by his surname Shin, stabbed his wife, 29, multiple times at their home Saturday, and took her corpse to his hometown region of Wanju County in North Jeolla Province, where he buried the body in a field of persimmon trees. A Vietnamese acquaintance, who had arranged to meet the wife later in the day, reported her missing to police when she failed to show up. The police, suspicious of the husband's cell phone being turned off, traced the location of his car and apprehended Shin the following day. Police also recovered the body.The man initially denied the killing, but police said he confessed under further questioning.“They often had domestic trouble, and after they exchanged words, the wife said she would leave him, which led him to kill her out of anger,” a police officer said.The police added that the couple often bickered about living expenses. Shin, a fabric brok

Nov 18, 2019By Kang Seung-woo

Korean man caught for killing Vietnamese wife

KU students urge revoking admission for Cho's daughter

Former Justice Minister Cho Kuk walks to his car after visiting his wife Chung Kyung-sim at Seoul detention center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, Friday. / YonhapBy Kim Jae-heunKorea University students are urging the school to revoke the admission of former Justice Minister Cho Kuk's daughter, threatening to hold a protest against what they claim to be admissions fraud. Speculation has been rampant that Cho Min, 28, was admitted to the Seoul-based university after her mother created fake documents to enhance her daughter's chances of gaining entrance to one of the country's top schools.Last week, the prosecution filed three additional charges against Chung Kyung-sim, Cho's mother, involving the college admissions and her investments in a private equity fund, leading more students to call on the school to take action. Chung, an English professor at Dongyang University, allegedly forged various documents certifying her daughter's internships at prominent local institutions, and got her name placed as the lead author of a research paper published in “The Korean Journal of Patholog

Nov 17, 2019By Kim Jae-heun

KU students urge revoking admission for Cho's daughter

Ruling opens chance for ostracized K-pop singer to enter Korea after 17 years

By Kim Hyun-binThe Seoul High Court annulled the Korean consulate general in Los Angeles's decision to refuse to issue a visa for Korean American singer Yoo Seung-jun ― also known as Steve Yoo ― Friday. The decision has given Yoo the chance to enter Korea 17 years after the country imposed an entry ban on him for giving up his Korean nationality to evade conscriptionThe ruling comes four months after the Supreme Court sent the case back to the high court by overturning previous rulings that approved the immigration authorities' refusal to issue a visa for him.Yoo Seung-junYoo debuted in Korea in 1997 and became one of the most popular singers here, but his popularity came to a crashing halt in early 2002 after he gave up his Korean nationality and chose U.S. citizenship to dodge mandatory military service, sparking an enormous public outcry as he had previously vowed to serve in the military.In Korea, all able-bodied men over the age of 20 are obligated to serve in the military for 21 months.The justice ministry placed an entry ban on him, and so he began an acting career in China. Y

Nov 15, 2019By Kim Hyun-bin

Ruling opens chance for ostracized K-pop singer to enter Korea after 17 years

Ex-justice minster questioned over corruption allegations

By Kang Seung-wooProsecutors summoned former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, Thursday, to question him over his possible involvement in corruption allegations linked to his family. Former Justice Minister Cho Kuk leaves the ministry building in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, Oct. 14, after resigning the post amid corruption allegations involving his family. / YonhapAccording to the prosecution, Cho appeared at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in the morning and was questioned as a suspect from around 9:35 a.m. His attendance was not made public in accordance with the prosecution's recent decision to abolish the practice of announcing the summons of suspects ― something that used to allow the media to witness their arrival for questioning ― as part of prosecutorial reform measures.Cho's questioning comes a month after he stepped down from the ministerial post, Oct.14, 35 days after his inauguration, and 79 days since the prosecution launched a massive investigation into his family, Aug. 27. Prosecutors have filed 14 charges against his wife Chung Kyung-sim, now in custody, in re

Nov 14, 2019By Kang Seung-woo

Law & Crime