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PHOTOS Former vice justice minister summoned over sex/bribery scandal

Former Vice Justice Minister Kim Hak-ui walks into the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office on Thursday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chulFormer Vice Justice Minister Kim Hak-ui walks into the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office on Thursday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chulBy Kim RahnFormer Vice Justice Minister Kim Hak-ui was questioned Thursday over his alleged involvement in a sex scandal and acceptance of kickbacks. This was the first summons for him in six years since 2013 when the allegations first emerged when he was tapped for the vice minister position.Presenting himself at the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office, Kim only told reporters, “I’ll cooperate with the investigation faithfully.”The prosecution questioned the 63-year-old about whether he was provided with sexual services and kickbacks through building contractor Yoon Jung-cheon back in the 2000s.In March 2013 when Kim was appointed to the vice minister position, it was alleged that Yoon had provided sex parties for Kim and other ranking officials between 2007 and 200

May 9, 2019By Kim Rahn
Former vice justice minister summoned over sex/bribery scandal [PHOTOS]

VIDEO Actress killed on Incheon Airport Expressway

Gimpo police and rescue workers from the Incheon Fire Department investigate the accident scene on the Incheon Airport Expressway where actress Han Ji-sung was hit by two cars early Monday morning. Courtesy of Incheon Fire Department By Lee Gyu-lee Actress Han Ji-sung. Photo from Instagram Actress Han Ji-sung was struck and killed by two cars on the Incheon Airport Expressway in Gimpo, Monday, according to a local news outlet Wednesday.TV Daily said Han, 29, was killed about 3:50 a.m. on the road heading towards Seoul.Gimpo police said Han stopped her car and stepped out of the driver's seat in the middle of the three-lane expressway. She was then hit by a taxi and an SUV.The victim died from head injuries while being taken to a hospital.The victim's husband, who was in the passenger seat, told the police the couple pulled over because he had to urin

May 8, 2019By Lee Gyu-lee
Actress killed on Incheon Airport Expressway [VIDEO]

Police request arrest warrant for Seungri on embezzlement, pimping

Seungri leaves Sophisticated Crime Investigation Unit under the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in Seoul's Jongno-gu, May 3, after being questioned for allegedly embezzling money from Burning Sun, a night club in Seoul's Gangnam district. YonhapPolice said they requested an arrest warrant for former BIGBANG member Seungri Wednesday on charges that he embezzled money from a Seoul night club embroiled in drug and sex scandals and arranged sexual services for foreign investors.Seungri, a 29-year-old whose real name is Lee Seung-hyun, is accused of colluding with his business partner, Yoo In-suk, a former head of Yuri Holdings Co., to arrange prostitution services for Japanese investors in 2015.Seungri and Yoo are also suspected of embezzling about 200 million won ($172,000) from Burning Sun, a club in southern Seoul where he worked as a public relations director, in July 2016.The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA) said it has requested warrants for pre-trial detention of Seungri and Yoo for violating the Act on the Punishment of Arrangement of Commercial Sex Acts, etc. and the Act

May 8, 2019
Police request arrest warrant for Seungri on embezzlement, pimping

Woman fined $990,000 for smuggling gold bars in rectum

A woman was fined $990,000 and jailed for a year for smuggling 16 kilograms of gold bars from China by concealing them in her rectum. gettyimagesbankBy Lee Gyu-leeA Korean woman who smuggled 790 million won of gold bars into Korea in her rectum was jailed for a year and fined 1.16 billion won ($990,000) Tuesday. The Incheon District Court heard that the woman smuggled 16 kilograms of gold from China over 16 trips during 2016. The defendant, 67, brought in 80 gold bars, each weighing 200 grams.The criminal, whose name was withheld, was paid by her accomplice about 300,000 won every time she returned from China with the gold.The court said it was her first offense and she was only involved in transporting the gold into the country. Prosecutors also indicted the woman on a separate charge of smuggling some 35 gold bars into Japan from March to April 2016 using the same method.

May 8, 2019By Lee Gyu-lee
Woman fined $990,000 for smuggling gold bars in rectum

Defense think tank under probe

 / Getty Images BankBy Jung Da-minThe Ministry of National Defense has launched an investigation into the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA) over allegations that a senior KIDA member created a slush fund and bribed politicians.A senior official of KIDA's Defense Information System Management Group allegedly collected portions of the bonuses paid to the employees to create a slush fund, and bribed some government officials and lawmakers, according to the ministry. The official's name was not revealed.The allegation was raised last month by a whistle-blower from the defense think tank and the Office for Government Policy Coordination Prime Minister's Secretariat first received the report.The prime minister's office has found a list of government officials and lawmakers who allegedly received the money, written by the senior KIDA member. The case was then referred to the defense ministry later last month.The ministry on Tuesday started an investigation into KIDA and it said the investigation is likely to continue for about two weeks.According to a Hankyoreh report, the sl

May 7, 2019
Defense think tank under probe

Top prosecutor renews opposition to reform bills

Prosecutor-General Moon Moo-il speaks to reporters at the entrance of his office at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seoul, Tuesday. / YonhapBy Kang Seung-wooProsecutor-General Moon Moo-il has reaffirmed his opposition to sharing the prosecution's exclusive investigative powers with police, citing the protection of the basic rights of the people. This was the latest outburst from the top prosecutor expressing opposition to the Cheong Wa Dae-led judiciary reform plan that is aimed at curbing the prosecution's unhampered authority. Moon first expressed his antipathy Wednesday during an overseas business trip.“The basic rights of the people can be protected under circumstances, where the rights to initiate and close cases are separated and police investigations are under the control of the prosecution,” Moon told reporters Tuesday on the way to his office after shortening his trip. “The principle must be observed at every state-run investigative organization, including the prosecution. I hope there will be a forum to publicly discuss the judiciary reform bill that ca

May 7, 2019By Kang Seung-woo
Top prosecutor renews opposition to reform bills

Fire damages former residence of Saudi Arabian envoy to S. Korea

By Park Si-sooA luxury mansion in Seoul that was once the residence of the Saudi Arabian ambassador to South Korea was partially damaged on Sunday by a fire in a neighboring building, police and fire authorities said.The fire, which started at around 3:39 p.m., spread to the mansion in Pyongchang-dong, northern Seoul. A helicopter, 30 fire engines and 117 firefighters took two hours to extinguish the fire, according to police.There were no reports of casualties. Police are looking into the cause of the fire.

May 6, 2019
Fire damages former residence of Saudi Arabian envoy to S. Korea

Actresses suffer post-Burning Sun fallout

From left are actresses Go Joon-hee, Han Hyo-joo, Gim Go-eun and Jung Eun-chae. Korea Times fileGo Jun-hee sues rumormongers; three others deny drug-involved party By Jung Hae-myoung The Burning Sun scandal, which cut K-pop singer Seungri's career short, has been rekindled after an investigative TV report on Saturday raised a fresh allegation about an actress in her 30s. According to the report, the unnamed actress took drugs at a drug-involved party at the nightclub on the day a man identified by his last name Kim was assaulted.Several actresses took action amid the allegations. Actress Go Joon-hee filed a libel suit against 12 rumormongers who spread rumors about her regarding the Burning Sun scandal and Han Hyo-joo denied attending the party the SBS program brought to light. Two others, Jung Eun-chae and Kim Ko-eun, also denied they were part of the drug-related party the SBS program raised. Actress Go Joon-hee took a stern measure on Saturday. She filed a libel suit against internet users who raised and spread rumors about Go possibly being one of the unnamed actresses mentioned

May 5, 2019
Actresses suffer post-Burning Sun fallout

Man dies after drinking poison from soju bottle

A man dies from poisoning after drinking coolant from the Soju bottle in the coastal city of Busan, according to the police, Friday. GettyimagesbankBy Lee Gyu-leeA 70-year old man died after drinking a chemical he apparently thought to be soju in the coastal city of Busan, according to the police, Friday. The victim's live-in companion, 78, found him unconscious after getting home from work and called 119 at around 6:30 p.m., Wednesday.His coworker reported to the police that the victim threw up several times after drinking at work. The police found coolant inside the soju bottle in the victim's car.The police believed that he drank ethylene glycol, the chemical substance in the coolant.

May 4, 2019By Lee Gyu-lee
Man dies after drinking poison from soju bottle
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