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CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.

Ex-spy chief denies charges in martial law trial over alleged dereliction of duty

Former National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Cho Tae-yong on Wednesday denied charges of dereliction of duty related to former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed martial law bid. Cho's lawyers made the case at the Seoul Central District Court during the first hearing of his trial over allegations of neglecting his duties as NIS chief by failing to report the martial law plan to the National Assembly before Yoon's televised address to the nation on Dec. 3, 2024. "The special counsel appears to be imagining that Cho conspired to commit an insurrection," the lawyers said. "If indictments are made based on imagination, (they) should have indicted (him) on charges of playing a key role in an insurrection, not dereliction of duty." They also disputed charges that Cho also failed to notify parliament of martial law troops' attempt to arrest politicians that night, noting that the NIS director is required to inform parliament in situations posing a "grave impact" to national security. The court said it plans to conduct witness examinations before ending oral arguments by as early as late ne

Feb 4, 2026By Yonhap
Ex-spy chief denies charges in martial law trial over alleged dereliction of duty

Police raid state auditor over alleged military secrets leak in 2020 fisheries official case

Police raided the state audit agency Tuesday over allegations that it leaked military secrets when the agency announced its results of an inspection into the 2020 murder of a fisheries official by North Korea. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's anti-corruption unit executed the search and seizure at the Board of Audit and Inspection after receiving complaints against Choi Jae-hae, the agency's former chief, and others over the allegations. Choi is accused of leaking second-level military secrets when the agency distributed press releases regarding the case in October 2022 and December 2023 during the former administration of ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol. On Sept. 22, 2020, Lee Dae-jun, the fisheries official, was fatally shot by North Korean soldiers near the de facto maritime border in the West Sea, a day after he went missing while on board a fishery inspection ship. His body was burned by the North. The audit into the case had determined that the then government of former President Moon Jae-in neglected, covered up and distorted facts regarding Lee's death and cast it as an atte

Feb 3, 2026By Yonhap
Police raid state auditor over alleged military secrets leak in 2020 fisheries official case

Lawmaker reappears before police for questioning about alleged bribery

Former Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) lawmaker Kang Sun-woo reappeared before police on Tuesday for questioning about her alleged acceptance of illegal political funds from a former Seoul city councilor. Kang, who left the DPK last month to become an independent, arrived at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Public Crime Investigation Unit in the morning to be questioned as a suspect, following her first appearance on Jan. 20. Kang is accused of receiving 100 million won ($69,000) from former Seoul city councilor Kim Kyung in 2022 in exchange for the party's nomination of Kim for the councillorship. Arriving at the police office at around 9:30 a.m., Kang apologized for causing concern to the people but did not answer questions from reporters, including whether she was aware of cash inside a shopping bag she received from Kim at a hotel in January 2022. In the initial questioning, Kang reportedly said she did not know there was cash inside the shopping bag handed over by Kim. But Kim and a former aide of Kang reportedly refuted the lawmaker's claim in separate police questioning, say

Feb 3, 2026By Yonhap
Lawmaker reappears before police for questioning about alleged bribery

Ex-Coupang CEO appears for police questioning over alleged perjury

A former chief of e-commerce giant Coupang appeared before police Tuesday to be questioned about allegations he gave false testimony during a parliamentary hearing last December. Park Dae-jun, former chief executive officer of Coupang, is accused of perjury in connection with remarks he made about an alleged cover-up of the details of the death of a Coupang logistics center worker. "I will respond faithfully to the investigation," he told reporters as he entered the Mapo office of the Seoul Metropolitan Police. Park resigned as CEO in December following a massive data leak at the company that affected more than 33 million customers, equivalent to nearly two-thirds of the country's population. He previously underwent police questioning last month over separate allegations that a lawmaker treated him to an expensive meal in September and asked for personnel disadvantages against a former aide later hired by Coupang.

Feb 3, 2026By Yonhap
Ex-Coupang CEO appears for police questioning over alleged perjury

Ex-Supreme Court chief justice appeals suspended prison sentence in power abuse case

Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae on Monday appealed against an appellate court ruling that sentenced him to a suspended prison term for abusing his power through wrongful interference in trials, legal sources said. Last Friday, the Seoul High Court handed down the six-month sentence, suspended for one year, reversing a lower court ruling that had acquitted him of charges related to his alleged abuse of judiciary power. The 78-year-old, who headed the top court from 2011-17, was accused by prosecutors of having used trials as bargaining chips in dealings with the then administration of President Park Geun-hye. Immediately after the verdict, Yang's lawyers vowed to appeal, saying it went against established legal principles for power abuse charges. The ruling marked the first time a former Supreme Court chief justice was found guilty in a criminal trial.

Feb 2, 2026By Yonhap
Ex-Supreme Court chief justice appeals suspended prison sentence in power abuse case

52 executives indicted for fixing prices of flour, sugar, electrical parts

The prosecution said Monday it has indicted 52 executives at a dozen companies since last September on charges of colluding to fix flour and sugar prices, and rigging bids for electrical components. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office said the indicted executives are accused of having orchestrated nearly 10 trillion won ($6.84 billion) worth of price-fixing and bid rigging, raising the prices of flour, sugar and electricity, all closely related to people's lives. In the flour sector, 20 executives of six oligopolistic producers — Daehan Flour Mills, Sajo Donga One, Samyang, Daesun Flour Mills, Samhwa Flour Mills and Hantop — were referred to trials without detention. They are suspected of disrupting market order by agreeing to determine the scope and timing of flour price fluctuations from January 2020 to October 2025, the prosecution said, estimating the value of their price-fixing at 5.99 trillion won. The price of flour rose by up to 42.4 percent during the six-year period, it added. In the sugar market, CJ CheilJedang and Samyang were caught colluding to fix their price

Feb 2, 2026By Yonhap
52 executives indicted for fixing prices of flour, sugar, electrical parts

Ex-first lady Kim Keon Hee appeals 20-month prison sentence in corruption trial

Former first lady Kim Keon Hee on Monday appealed against a court ruling sentencing her to 20 months in prison for accepting luxury gifts from the Unification Church. Last Wednesday, the Seoul Central District Court handed down the sentence, making Kim and her husband, ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol, the country's first former presidential couple to be imprisoned with criminal convictions. The court also ordered Kim to forfeit 12.8 million won ($8,770), while acquitting her of two other charges she faced in the trial — involvement in a stock price manipulation scheme and violating the Political Funds Act. The sentence was far shorter than the 15-year term sought by special counsel Min Joong-ki's team, which filed an appeal last Friday, claiming "serious" misunderstandings of the facts in the ruling. The court had found Kim guilty of accepting the luxury gifts, such as a Chanel bag and a Graff diamond necklace, from the Unification Church that had sought business favors in 2022, but did not recognize the other charges. Kim had been charged with conspiring to manipulate the stock p

Feb 2, 2026By Yonhap
Ex-first lady Kim Keon Hee appeals 20-month prison sentence in corruption trial

Police form special team to investigate sexual abuse allegations at group home for people with disabilities

Police have launched a special team to investigate sexual abuse allegations at a group home for people with disabilities after Prime Minister Kim Min-seok ordered a full-scale investigation to uncover the truth behind the suspicions. The National Police Agency said the special investigative team was officially launched Saturday following Kim's directives. The team will be led by a senior police official at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, comprising more than 60 officers and outside experts. "We will investigate the allegations related to sexual assaults, abuse and misappropriation of subsidies quickly and thoroughly, and make sure we provide the best protection and support to the victims," the police said. The case centers on allegations that the head of the Saekdongwon group home for people with severe disabilities, located in Ganghwa County, Incheon, raped and molested at least four women staying at the facility. The unidentified suspect has been booked and is under investigation on rape and sexual assault charges. The allegations surfaced after a college research institute publis

Feb 1, 2026By Yonhap
Police form special team to investigate sexual abuse allegations at group home for people with disabilities

Coupang's interim chief questioned for 12 hours over data breach probe

The interim CEO of Coupang underwent 12 hours of intensive police questioning over allegations of destruction of evidence linked to a massive data breach at the e-commerce company. Harold Rogers emerged from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on Saturday at 2:22 am, declining to answer reporters' questions on whether he admitted to the charges or intended to leave the country. Rogers faces accusations of obstructing official investigations into the breach estimated to have affected nearly 33 million users. Coupang had independently announced that data from only 3,000 accounts had been leaked, a figure authorities dispute. Police, who suspect more than 30 million accounts were affected, are investigating the reliability of Coupang's internal probe. The government has criticized the company's findings as one-sided. Investigators focused on the company's handling of a laptop allegedly used in the hacking. Coupang recovered the device in China last month from a former employee responsible for the breach and submitted it to police. However, the company reportedly failed to disclose that it h

Jan 31, 2026By Yonhap
Coupang's interim chief questioned for 12 hours over data breach probe

Korea Taxpayers' Association defends Cha Eun-woo amid tax evasion allegations

The Korea Taxpayers' Association (KTA) has issued a statement defending actor Cha Eun-woo amid allegations of tax evasion, arguing that tax avoidance is a legitimate right and that the presumption of innocence must be upheld. On Thursday, the KTA emphasized the legal distinction between avoidance and evasion. It cited U.S. legal precedents that recognize a taxpayer’s right to legally minimize taxes. "Tax avoidance involves using legal loopholes to minimize tax liability. Until a Supreme Court ruling confirms illegality, it cannot be summarily labeled as evasion," the association stated. Responding to criticism over Cha establishing a corporation in his mother’s name, the KTA said incorporation for tax efficiency is not unlawful. "Labeling a business a 'shell company' simply because it lacks physical facilities violates the presumption of innocence," the KTA said. The association cited a previous Supreme Court ruling involving a chicken franchise, which overturned a lower court's conviction after determining the business had substantive operations. The KTA also addressed the issue of al

Jan 31, 2026By Xportsnews
Korea Taxpayers' Association defends Cha Eun-woo amid tax evasion allegations
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