South Korea - The Korea Times

Mongolian judge faces W7 million fine for sexual harassment of flight attendant

South Korean prosecution said Wednesday it has asked the court to summarily fine the chairman of Mongolia's Constitutional Court 7 million won ($5,993) for sexually assaulting a female flight attendant. The prosecution in Incheon, west of Seoul, also lifted the travel ban for the justice, Dorj Odbayar, after he deposited the sum with the court.He is alleged to have touched the buttocks of a South Korean female flight attendant and intimidated a Mongolian crew member on a Korean Air flight from Ulaanbaatar to Incheon on Oct. 31.Local police referred the case to the prosecution last Friday recommending indictment without detention on charges of indecent act by compulsion and violation of the aviation security act. Odbayar and an official accompanying him, who is suspected of molesting another flight attendant, were apprehended by Korean Air staff on the plane and turned over to airport police on Oct. 31.Odbayar initially denied all charges when questioned by airport police the following day. Immediately after the probe, he headed to his destination of Bali, Indonesia, to attend a meeti

Nov 14, 2019

Mongolian judge faces W7 million fine for sexual harassment of flight attendant

Ex-justice minister summoned in corruption investigation

Former Justice Minister Cho Kuk. Korea Times fileSouth Korean prosecutors have summoned the country's former justice minister as they expand an investigation into corruption allegations surrounding his family that sparked huge protests.The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office on Thursday confirmed that Cho Kuk arrived at the office for questioning, weeks after the arrests of his wife, brother and another relative over their suspected involvement in financial crimes and faking credentials to help get Cho's daughter into medical school and obtain scholarships.Cho resigned as minister last month, citing the burden of the investigation into his family, but has denied legal wrongdoing.Huge crowds of his supporters and critics have marched in Seoul for weeks, demonstrating how the months-long saga has deepened the country's political divide. (AP)

Nov 14, 2019

Ex-justice minister summoned in corruption investigation

Man 'falsely' convicted of Hwaseong murder seeking retrial

A man surnamed Yoon, who claimed he was wrongfully convicted of killing a teenage girl in 1988, reads a statement during a press conference at the Gyeonggi Central Bar Association building in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday, before applying for a retrial. / YonhapBy Kang Seung-wooA man who spent nearly 20 years in prison, after being found guilty of raping and killing a teenage girl, applied for a retrial, Wednesday, claiming he was wrongfully convicted. “I hope the truth about the murder case comes out and I will be acquitted and recover my reputation,” the 52-year-old, surnamed Yoon, told the press before filing the retrial request at Suwon District Court. Yoon, then 22, was arrested in 1988 for killing a 13-year-old girl at her home and was later sentenced to life in prison after admitting to the crime. However, he claimed in the higher courts that police forced him to make a false confession after they assaulted and tortured him, but the appeals court and the Supreme Court upheld the previous ruling. After spending 19 years and six months behind bars, he was relea

Nov 13, 2019By Kang Seung-woo

Man 'falsely' convicted of Hwaseong murder seeking retrial

Questioning over 'fast-track' scuffle

Rep. Na Kyung-won, the floor leader of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP), arrives at the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office in Seoul, Wednesday, to be questioned over the party's scuffles in April related to the fast-tracking of major reform bills. Sixty LKP lawmakers including Na used physical means to block the attempts by the ruling and other opposition parties from fast-tracking the bills on electoral and prosecutorial reform. / Yonhap

Nov 13, 2019By Kim Hyun-bin

'Cho Kuk's wife forged 7 documents about daughter'

Prosecutors have concluded that Chung Kyung-sim, the wife of former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, forged seven certificates regarding her daughter's work experience, including her internship at local universities and a local hotel. / YonhapBy Kim Jae-heunProsecutors have concluded that Chung Kyung-sim, the wife of former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, forged seven certificates regarding her daughter's work experience, including her internship at local universities and a local hotel. They also believe Chung, a professor of English language and literature at Dongyang University in Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, abused her husband's personal connections and position in government to gain unfair advantages in school admissions for their daughter.The details of her indictment came to light after the prosecution filed three more charges against Chung, now in custody, Monday, bringing the total to 14.According to Chung's arraignment submitted to the National Assembly by the prosecutors, the professor forged internship certificates for her daughter and her daughter's high school friend, falsely

Nov 12, 2019By Kim Jae-heun

'Cho Kuk's wife forged 7 documents about daughter'

Newspaper chairman resigns amid illegal fundraising scandal involving TV affiliate

The flag of MBN and Chang Dae-whan. YonhapBy Park Si-soo Chang Dae-whan, chairman of Maeil Media Group, announced his resignation on Tuesday, under pressure from an intensified investigation into an illegal fundraising scandal involving the group's TV affiliate. The announcement came hours after the prosecution indicted Chang and several other senior executives on suspicion of employing illegal means to raise the legally required capital to set up the affiliate, MBN, in 2011.“All the suspicions raised in the prosecution's investigation will be vindicated in a coming trial,” the group said. “Chang will step down as chairman to take responsibility for the brouhaha surrounding the company. He will also take his hands off management.” The required minimum capital for the TV affiliate's establishment was 300 billion won. It managed to raise 240 billion won but failed to collect more. Prosecutors allege the company filled the shortfall of about 60 billion won with loans it got using borrowed names from employees and the group's other affiliates ― a violation of the

Nov 12, 2019

Newspaper chairman resigns amid illegal fundraising scandal involving TV affiliate

VIDEO Video footage of nurse abusing newborn stirs outrage

Surveillance video footage shows a nurse holding the legs of a baby while its head hangs down at a gynecology clinic in Busan on Oct. 20. Captured from YTNBy Park Si-soo A nurse working at a Busan-based gynecology clinic is under investigation on suspicion of physically abusing a five-day-old baby that resulted in critical brain damage. Public outrage was stirred after police released surveillance camera footage of the alleged infant abuse on Monday. The footage, recorded about 1 a.m. on Oct. 20, shows the nurse grabbing the baby's legs and lifting her to the height of her face. With the baby's head loosely hanging down, the nurse dropped the baby to the bed. The baby bounced a little after the fall and crashed to the bed again. Police say the nurse abused the newborn in similar ways on Oct. 18 and 19. They also found two hours of Oct. 20 footage that had been deleted for unclear reasons. Police are investigating how it happened, suspecting hospital officers tampered with the original footage to cover up something. According to police, the baby showed signs of breathing problems at 1

Nov 12, 2019

Video footage of nurse abusing newborn stirs outrage [VIDEO]

Chun faces growing calls to attend hearings

Former President Chun Doo-hwan is spotted playing golf at a course in Hongcheon, Gangwon Province, Thursday, in this image taken from video footage provided by the progressive minor opposition Justice Party. / YonhapBy Kang Seung-wooThere are growing calls for a court to review its decision to allow former President Chun Doo-hwan not to attend hearings in his libel trial because of “poor health.” They come after video footage released last week showed him playing golf, seemingly in good mental and physical health despite his claims of suffering from Alzheimer's disease.Chun, who ruled the country from 1980 to 1988, was indicted in May last year for describing activist priest Cho Chul-hyun, also known as Cho Bi-oh, as “Satan wearing a mask” in his memoir released in early 2017. Cho testified to witnessing soldiers shooting at civilians from helicopters during the military crackdown on the 1980 pro-democracy uprising against Chun in Gwangju. Cho's family sued Chun for libel and since the trial began in August 2018, the former dictator has shown up for only one h

Nov 11, 2019By Kang Seung-woo

Chun faces growing calls to attend hearings

Former YG chief questioned for 14 hours over alleged intimidation

Former YG Entertainment chief Yang Hyun-suk arrives at the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, Saturday, to undergo questioning related to intimidation charges against him. / YonhapBy Kim Jae-heunYang Hyun-suk, founder and former chief of YG Entertainment, was summoned by police Saturday, for questioning over his suspected intimidation.The entertainment guru appeared at the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, at 10 a.m. and underwent nearly 14 hours of interrogation. Leaving the police building at 11:50 p.m., Yang told reporters that he had complied with the police's questioning and told the truth. When asked by a journalist if he acknowledges his charges, Yang said, “I cannot share any specific details as the police investigation is ongoing.”The police booked Yang recently on intimidation charges related to a suspicion that he attempted to cover up the alleged illegal drug purchase and use by one of the agency's former stars, singer B.I. B.I., a former member of K-pop boy band IKON, is suspected of purchas

Nov 10, 2019By Kim Jae-heun

Former YG chief questioned for 14 hours over alleged intimidation

Police to beef up investigation into 'dark web'

By Kim RahnPolice said Sunday they would intensify investigation into the “dark web” as illegal activities such as drug trading and child pornography distribution are taking place there. / Korea Times filePolice will intensify their investigation into the “dark web,” an encrypted network inaccessible through traditional search engines, as dark web sites have become a hotbed of crimes such as child porn distribution and illegal drug trading.The Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) said Sunday cybercrime units of all regional police agencies across the country will deal with dark web-related crimes, a great increase from the six-member team within the agency that has been handling cases so far.Other teams at the agency will also support investigations into dark web sites, and the police will additionally seek cooperation with its overseas counterparts.“We'll assign as many officers as possible to thoroughly investigate illegal activities taking place on the dark web, such as child porn distribution, illicit trading of drugs and firearms, cyber-mercenaries

Nov 10, 2019By Kim Rahn

Law & Crime