my timesThe Korea Times
South KoreaLaw & Crime

Law & Crime

Court acquits ex-first lady's 'butler' in embezzlement trial, dismisses charges

A court on Monday acquitted an associate of former first lady Kim Keon Hee over embezzlement allegations while dismissing other charges brought against him by a special counsel team. The Seoul Central District Court handed down the ruling for Kim Ye-seong, known as the "butler" of the former first lady's family, finding him not guilty of embezzling 2.43 billion won ($1.66 million) from Innovest Korea, a company he effectively controlled. Special counsel Min Joong-ki had sought an eight-year prison term for Kim after indicting him in August on charges of embezzling 4.8 billion won of funds in connection with IMS Mobility, a car rental company, by colluding with the company's CEO Jo Young-tak. The court said Kim's actions could not be concluded as embezzlement as they could be seen as being aimed at realizing economic benefits for the company. It also dismissed other embezzlement charges brought against him by the special counsel tasked with investigating corruption allegations surrounding the former first lady, saying they did not fall under its mandate. Min's team has accused Kim of embez

Feb 9, 2026By Yonhap
Court acquits ex-first lady's 'butler' in embezzlement trial, dismisses charges

Police question ex-presidential chief of staff in martial law probe

Police said Sunday they are questioning former presidential chief of staff Chung Jin-suk over his alleged role in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's brief declaration of martial law in late 2024. Chung is suspected of having ordered the wiping of some 1,000 computers at the presidential office after the Constitutional Court removed Yoon from office in April 2025 over his martial law bid. A police special investigation unit summoned Chung as a suspect at around 10:10 a.m. Sunday over probe allegations, including damage to public electronic records. Chung, considered one of Yoon's closest aides, was previously under probe by a special counsel team over allegations that he deleted records and documents related to the martial law declaration from shared computers at the presidential office to destroy evidence. Chung attended a Cabinet meeting convened by Yoon shortly before the decree was imposed and later met with Yoon inside a military control room ahead of a second Cabinet meeting the following day that lifted the decree.

Feb 8, 2026By Yonhap
Police question ex-presidential chief of staff in martial law probe

Man sentenced to life for killing son with homemade gun at birthday party

A court on Friday sentenced a 63-year-old man to life in prison for shooting and killing his son with a homemade gun during the defendant's own birthday party last year. The Incheon District Court also ordered the man to wear an ankle monitor for 20 years after finding him guilty of murder, attempted murder and violating the firearms control act. Prosecutors had sought the death penalty for the defendant for murdering his 33-year-old son who had prepared the party at an apartment in Incheon, west of Seoul, on July 20. The man was also accused of attempting to shoot and kill his daughter-in-law, two grandchildren and an acquaintance of the daughter-in-law at the scene. "Murder is a grave crime and because life cannot be restored in any way once taken, it carries a very heavy responsibility," the court said. The case drew widespread attention in a country where private ownership of firearms is tightly restricted. Following the shooting, investigators discovered multiple flammable materials and an ignition device at the shooter's home in northern Seoul that had been set to go off the next day

Feb 6, 2026By Yonhap
Man sentenced to life for killing son with homemade gun at birthday party

Abuse case at disability care facility exposes gaps in protecting vulnerable

A sexual abuse scandal at a residential facility for people with disabilities in Incheon’s Ganghwa County that made national headlines is again exposing the limits of protections for vulnerable residents, as investigators face major hurdles in proving the alleged crimes. Because most of the victims have severe disabilities that limit communication, both police and the victims’ legal representatives face challenges in substantiating the abuse. The case involves the head of Saekdongwon, a residential facility in Incheon for people with severe disabilities, and several staff members who are accused of subjecting female residents to years of sexual abuse and mistreatment. The facility housed women with severe developmental and brain-related disabilities who had limited ability to communicate. Many reportedly had no family ties and lived in near isolation from the outside world for extended periods. Investigators suspect the alleged sexual abuse may have continued for more than a decade, with the number of victims estimated at about 20. The case came to light after a former resident who ha

Feb 6, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
Abuse case at disability care facility exposes gaps in protecting vulnerable

Interim CEO of Coupang appears for police questioning over perjury allegations

The interim chief executive of Coupang, Harold Rogers, appeared before police Friday to be questioned about perjury allegations related to his testimony to lawmakers late last year, marking his second police questioning in a week. Police seek to question Rogers about allegations that he gave false testimony under oath about the company's internal investigation into a massive data leak during a parliamentary hearing in December. "Coupang will continue to fully cooperate with all government investigations. We will also faithfully and thoroughly cooperate with the police investigation today," Rogers told reporters as he arrived at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's office in western Seoul. He did not respond to questions about the allegations. Rogers told lawmakers during the hearing that Coupang conducted its own probe into a Chinese national suspected of involvement in the breach and confiscated his laptop at the instructions of the National Intelligence Service. The intelligence agency, however, denied the claim, prompting a parliamentary committee to file a complaint seeking an inves

Feb 6, 2026By Yonhap
Interim CEO of Coupang appears for police questioning over perjury allegations

Lee appoints special counsel for follow-up probe into ex-President Yoon, his wife

President Lee Jae Myung has appointed a special counsel to lead investigations into allegations that were not addressed in three previous special counsel probes involving former President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife, Cheong Wa Dae said Thursday. Lee appointed Kwon Chang-young, an adjunct professor at the Seoul National University School of Law and an attorney at law firm Jipyong, accepting a recommendation by the minor Rebuilding Korea Party. Kwon previously served as a judge in a number of district courts and a senior member of the Supreme Court's Judicial Research and Training Institute. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea led the passage of the bill calling for a comprehensive special counsel investigation that combines three separate probes into Yoon's brief imposition of martial law in December 2024, allegations involving former first lady Kim Keon Hee and the death of a young Marine. Kwon's team will be tasked with looking into allegations that were not examined in earlier investigations, including claims of election interference and other influence-peddling accusations involving Y

Feb 5, 2026By Yonhap
Lee appoints special counsel for follow-up probe into ex-President Yoon, his wife

Court partially acquits 'power broker' in cash-for-nominations scandal

A court on Thursday acquitted a self-proclaimed political power broker and a former lawmaker of the main opposition People Power Party on charges of violating the Political Funds Act for allegedly exchanging cash for political nominations. The Changwon District Court, however, found the power broker, Myung Tae-kyun, guilty of soliciting concealment of evidence in connection with the case, sentencing him to six months in prison, suspended for one year. Prosecutors earlier charged the former lawmaker, Kim Young-sun, with handing Myung 80.7 million won ($55,000) between August 2022 and November 2023 via an accounting manager, alleging it was given in exchange for Kim's nomination for the 2022 parliamentary by-election. The court, however, ruled the money was unrelated to the nomination, recognizing Myung's argument that he was simply paid as a general manager of the former lawmaker's constituency office. While it acknowledged that Myung may have influenced her eventual nomination, citing a request he made to then President Yoon Suk Yeol, it noted other factors that likely led to the decisio

Feb 5, 2026By Yonhap
Court partially acquits 'power broker' in cash-for-nominations scandal

Appellate court upholds fine for ex-President Moon's daughter in DUI case

A court of appeals on Thursday upheld a lower court's ruling that sentenced the daughter of former President Moon Jae-in to a fine of 15 million won ($10,200) on charges of drunk driving and illegally operating an Airbnb business. The appellate division of the Seoul Western District Court handed down the sentence for Moon Da-hye, saying that no new circumstances can be found to warrant a change in her initial sentence. The younger Moon, 43, is accused of driving her car into a taxi while trying to change lanes in Seoul's Itaewon district in October 2024. Her blood alcohol concentration was measured at 0.149 percent at the time, exceeding the 0.08 percent threshold for driver's license revocation. Separately, she is accused of running an Airbnb business without official registration at two locations in Seoul's Yeongdeungpo district and one on the southern resort island of Jeju. Prosecutors demanded a one-year prison term for her in the previous appeal trial last November.

Feb 5, 2026By Yonhap
Appellate court upholds fine for ex-President Moon's daughter in DUI case

Man sentenced to life for fatally stabbing 3 people at pizza store in Seoul

A Seoul court on Thursday sentenced a 41-year-old man to life imprisonment for fatally stabbing three people at a pizza store in the capital last year. The Seoul Central District Court handed down the sentence to Kim Dong-won for murdering the victims at the establishment in Seoul's southwestern ward of Gwanak last September following a dispute over the store's repairs. Kim, who operated the franchise store, killed a pizza franchise company employee, an interior contractor and the contractor's daughter after learning that he would have to pay for repairs to the store. "The victims must have felt considerable pain and fear at the time of the crime and the defendant has not been forgiven by their families," the court said. "The result of this case is very grave and there is a need to hold the defendant strictly accountable." The prosecution had earlier demanded the death penalty for Kim.

Feb 5, 2026By Yonhap
Man sentenced to life for fatally stabbing 3 people at pizza store in Seoul

Police request arrest warrants for lawmaker, ex-councilor over bribery

Police on Thursday requested arrest warrants for a lawmaker and a former Seoul city councilor embroiled in a bribery scandal linked to the 2022 local elections. The warrants were sought for Rep. Kang Sun-woo, an independent who formerly belonged to the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), and Kim Kyung, who until recently served as a Seoul city councilor. Kim is accused of offering 100 million won ($68,500) to Kang in exchange for a DPK nomination for her councillorship ahead of the 2022 local elections. Kang has acknowledged receiving a shopping bag from Kim but denied knowing it contained cash. Police said that in the case of Kang, they considered applying charges of bribery under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, but opted instead for charges of acceptance of bribes in breach of trust, judging that the task of giving a nomination fell under party affairs, not public affairs. Kim was charged with giving bribes in breach of trust. The two crimes carry punishments of up to four years and 18 months in prison, respectively, which are lighter than the maximum sentenc

Feb 5, 2026By Yonhap
Police request arrest warrants for lawmaker, ex-councilor over bribery
previous page
3839404142
next page

Most Read in South Korea