South Korea - The Korea Times

'Cho's authority as minister could hinder investigation into wife'

Education Minister Yoo Eun-hae, right, announces plans to inspect 13 universities with high ratios of special admissions to check for possible violation in procedures, after a meeting between ruling Democratic Party of Korea members at the National Assembly, Wednesday. This follows alleged preferential treatment given to Justice Minister Cho Kuk's children in college and graduate school admissions. Korea Times photo by Oh Dae-geunBy Kim Hyun-binA state-run anti-corruption body has said it is improper for Cho Kuk to be working as justice minister while his wife is being investigated by the prosecution. This backs the opposition parties' claim that Cho needs to step down from the post because his authority to oversee prosecutors could hinder the ongoing probe.Rep. Lee Tae-kyu of the minor opposition Barenmirae Party said, Thursday, the party recently asked the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) whether Cho performing his duty as head of a ministry that supervises the prosecution, was appropriate according to the relevant laws, while his wife, Dongyang University profess

Sep 26, 2019By Kim Hyun-bin

'Cho's authority as minister could hinder investigation into wife'

Moon makes strong push for prosecution reform

IBA gives rights award to Hong Kong lawyers

Lawyers Martin Lee, left, and Margaret Ng, second from left, pose at a ceremony at COEX, southern Seoul, where they jointly received an award for their efforts for democracy in Hong Kong, Thursday. / Courtesy of International Bar AssociationBy Lee Suh-yoonTwo Hong Kong lawyers, both vocal proponents of the ongoing pro-democracy protests, jointly received a human rights award from a global lawyers' association at an annual conference in Seoul, Thursday.Martin C. M. Lee, commonly referred to as Hong Kong's "Father of Democracy," and Margaret Ng, a civil liberty advocate, were jointly named by the?International Bar Association (IBA) to receive its “Outstanding Contribution by a Legal Practitioner to Human Rights” award.The award was presented at the IBA conference taking place in Seoul this week.“We do not believe that this award is conferred on us because of our own achievements. We accept this award on behalf of all members of the Hong Kong Bar who have also been doing their absolute best in upholding the rule of law in the very trying circumstances in Hong Kong,&rdq

Sep 26, 2019

IBA gives rights award to Hong Kong lawyers

Photo of 'Hwaseong serial killer' revealed

The high school graduation photo of Lee Chun-jae, left, and a facial composite of the Hwaseong serial killer / Korea TimesBy Jung Min-hoA photo of the prime suspect in one of Korea's most notorious serial murder cases has been revealed.The Hankook Ilbo, sister paper of The Korea Times, obtained the high school graduation photo of Lee Chun-jae, 56, and published it in Thursday's issue.The young Lee looks similar to a facial composite of the killer, which was made about three decades ago based on witness accounts.Between September 1986 and April 1991, 10 women, including teenagers and a 71-year-old, were sexually assaulted and killed in a similar way at Hwaseong, a city south of Seoul, which prompted a nationwide investigation.The case, which had remained unsolved for years, inspired film director Bong Joon-ho's 2003 box office hit, “Memories of Murder.”But last week, police made a surprise announcement that they had identified Lee as a prime suspect in at least three of the killings after using the latest forensic techniques to retrieve DNA.Lee, who is serving a life sente

Sep 26, 2019By Jung Min-ho

HMP Law to strengthen global network at IBA conference

HMP lawyers talk with visitors at Suji's Deli ― the firm's temporary PR booth ― during the International Bar Association's annual conference at the Convention and Exhibition Center in southern Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of HMP LawBy Jung Min-hoHMP Law, a major law firm in Korea, said Wednesday that the International Bar Association's (IBA) annual conference in Seoul is a great opportunity to strengthen global networks and it will make the most of it.About 20 lawyers, including Park Sang-il (IBA's Host Committee member) and Lim Hye-yeon (IBA's Organizing Committee member), will represent the law firm at the world's largest and most prestigious international meeting of legal professionals.During the event (Sept. 23-27), HMP lawyers will use Suji's Deli as their temporary PR booth and be there from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily to welcome visitors.“HMP Law has built its reputation as one of the most trusted Korean law firms in the field of international businesses,” Park Kyun-je, a partner at HMP Law, said. “I hope the law firm will strengthen its global competitiveness throu

Sep 25, 2019By Jung Min-ho

HMP Law to strengthen global network at IBA conference

Justice minister's son questioned over alleged false internship certificates

The prosecution has summoned the son of Justice Minister Cho Kuk over suspicions that allegedly false internship certificates issued for him might have been used in his applications to graduate schools.The 23-year-old son was called in Tuesday as prosecutors are looking into alleged forgery of certificates over his internship experience at an institution of public interest and human rights at Seoul National University (SNU), where his father is as a law professor.His summons is part of prosecutors' widening probe into a set of corruption allegations involving the minister's family. State prosecutors raided Cho's residence on Monday, two weeks after he was appointed as justice minister.The SNU institution stands at the center of media attention over allegations that Cho's children, including his daughter, might have received preferential treatment in gaining admission to prestigious universities.In 2017, his son got the certificate which says he worked as an intern at the SNU institute while he was in high school in 2013. He also earlier got a rare certificate stating that he is sched

Sep 25, 2019

Justice minister's son questioned over alleged false internship certificates

Tracing the history of forced labor rulings

Yuka Aoki, 37, lawyer and author of a new book on the Korean Supreme Court's last year ruling on forced labor, poses for a photo after an interview, Saturday. Aoki is visiting Seoul to attend the International Bar Association (IBA) conference this week. / Korea Times photo by Lee Suh-yoonJapanese lawyers make historical case for why court victories for victims do not violate the 1965 Korea-Japan treatyBy Lee Suh-yoonIn a historic ruling, Oct. 30 last year, Korea's Supreme Court ordered Nippon Steel to compensate Korean victims of wartime forced labor. The decision, soon followed by subsequent ones against Mitsubishi, Fujikoshi and Hitachi, prompted a fierce backlash from the Japanese government. Condemnations were issued from top-levels and diplomatic barb-throwing followed. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe even rolled out economic warfare.The conveyed logic for the extreme measures was simple: the 1965 Korean-Japan Treaty settled compensation issues for individual wartime victims, or at least transferred the responsibility to the Korean government for good. But despite all its res

Sep 24, 2019

Tracing the history of forced labor rulings

K-pop star Seungri questioned over gambling charges

Seungri, a former member of the K-pop group Bigbang, enters the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in central Seoul, Tuesday. YonhapSeungri, a former member of the K-pop boy band BIGBANG, was questioned by police on Tuesday over his alleged overseas gambling.Dressed in formal attire, the disgraced K-pop star arrived at a police investigative unit in eastern Seoul at 10:40 a.m.Seungri quickly walked past some journalists, who asked him about allegations that he regularly gambled in foreign countries and illegally secured gambling funds.It was his second interrogation following one on Aug. 28, when he apologized for "causing deep worries."Last month, police booked Seungri and Yang Hyun-suk, the former CEO of BIGBANG's management agency, YG Entertainment, over the gambling allegations.Both Seungri, whose legal name is Lee Seung-hyun, and Yang are charged with illegal gambling and Foreign Exchange Transactions Act violations.Prior to the overseas gambling allegations, Seungri was referred to the prosecution in June on embezzlement and pimping charges. He ceased all entertainment activities

Sep 24, 2019

K-pop star Seungri questioned over gambling charges

Prosecution raids justice minister's home

Justice Minister Cho Kuk leaves his home for work in southern Seoul, Monday, before the prosecution raided the house for evidence. / YonhapBy Lee Suh-yoonThe prosecution raided Justice Minister Cho Kuk's home in southern Seoul, Monday, in connection to widening allegations that he and his wife peddled their influence to secure internships and dishonest “qualifications” for their children to boost their college or graduate school applications. This is the first time that the residence of an incumbent justice minister, who supervises the prosecution ― in personnel and administration ― has been searched by prosecutors.Investigators from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office seized computer hard disks and other materials from Cho's house in Bangbae-dong, shortly after he left for work Monday morning.Their target was a hard disk, amid allegation that Cho's wife, Dongyang University professor Chung Kyung-sim, had attempted to destroy evidence. Chung allegedly asked a securities company worker, who helped in the “wealth management” of the family, to swap out

Sep 23, 2019

Prosecution raids justice minister's home

Justice minister's son questioned over alleged false internship certificates

Hospital conducts abortion on wrong woman after confusing patients

A Vietnamese woman in Korea has had an unwanted abortion due to hospital staff's mistake. /gettyimagesbankBy Kim Hyun-binA hospital in Seoul performed an abortion on the wrong woman after mixing up two patients.The Gangseo Police Station said Monday they booked a doctor and a nurse at the hospital in western Seoul on suspicion of professional negligence resulting in injury.The victim, a Vietnamese woman, visited the hospital with her husband on Aug. 7 for a pregnancy test. It was confirmed that she was six weeks pregnant, and she was told she needed an IV solution for better nutrition.When she was waiting for the IV, a nurse came with the wrong patient's chart which was for a woman who needed surgery for a missed miscarriage, in which the fetus had died but not yet been miscarried. Without confirming the woman's identity, the nurse injected her with an anesthetic drug instead of placing her on an IV.As she fell asleep, a gynecologist then conducted the surgery, also failing to check the patient's charts.After the 30-minute procedure, she went home but noticed bleeding and asked to sp

Sep 23, 2019By Kim Hyun-bin

Hospital conducts abortion on wrong woman after confusing patients

Justice minister's home searched over corruption scandal

Justice Minister Cho Kuk walks out of his home in southern Seoul, Monday. Yonhap Investigators from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office enter Justice Minister Cho Kuk's home in southern Seoul, Monday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk Hong Jung-sik, head of a right-wing civic group "Hwalbindan," demands Justice Minister Cho Kuk resign over the snowballing corruption scandal involving him and his family, in front of his home in southern Seoul, Monday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-sukThe prosecution raided the residence of Justice Minister Cho Kuk on Monday as part of its widening probe into corruption allegations involving his family.Investigators were sent to his house in southern Seoul at around 9 a.m. amid probes into allegations that his wife forged a college presidential citation to help her daughter enroll in a medical school. Cho's wife was indicted on those charges early this month.State prosecutors are looking into suspicions that his wife may have sought to destroy evidence and Cho may have aided and abetted such acts.Last month, the prosecution carried