South Korea - The Korea Times

Captain's drinking causes Russian ship to run into bridge

On Thursday, the Russian freighter Seagrand bumped into the side of Gwangan Bridge, damaging the lower part of the bridge. Courtesy of the Korean Coast GuardA Russian skipper's misjudgment while under the influence of alcohol, and improper steering, caused his ship to crash into a bridge off the coast of the South Korean port city of Busan last week, the Korean Coast Guard said Tuesday. On Thursday, the 5,998-ton Russian freighter Seagrand bumped into the side of Gwangan Bridge, damaging the lower part of the bridge. Before the accident, the ship also damaged three yachts, and injured three sailors on board. The coast guard immediately nabbed the vessel and questioned the crew aboard. It later detained the ship's 43-year-old Russian captain, whose identity is being withheld, on charges of operating the vessel while under the influence of alcohol. According to the coast guard, the captain had a blood alcohol level of 0.086 percent, well above the legal limit of 0.03 percent and high enough to warrant the revocation of his license. But the captain claimed that he drank after the accid

Mar 5, 2019

Captain's drinking causes Russian ship to run into bridge

Russian captain faces arrest for bridge crash

The Russian freighter Seagrand collides with Gwangan Bridge in Busan, Thursday. Screen capture from YouTubeBy Park Si-soo Police requested an arrest warrant Saturday for the Russian captain of a cargo ship that collided with a bridge in Busan.The 5,998-ton vessel Seagrand crashed into the side of the Gwangan Bridge, Thursday afternoon, damaging the lower part of the structure. Before the incident, it also hit several other ships, injuring three sailors on board. The Russian captain was drunk when the incident took place, according to the Korean Coast Guard. The captain reportedly claimed he drank after the collision and was not at the helm when the vessel ran into the bridge. Police are analyzing footage from nearby surveillance cameras

Mar 2, 2019

Russian captain faces arrest for bridge crash

Chinese man jailed for selling thousands of fake Nike sneakers

Counterfeit Nike sneakers / YonhapBy Jung Min-hoA Chinese man has been sentenced to four years in prison for selling thousands of fake Nike sneakers in Korea.The Seoul Central District Court said Friday that it convicted the man, 36, surnamed Kim, of selling more than 8,000 counterfeit brand shoes ― 7,300 Nike and 670 Converse ― between May 2017 and April 2018. In doing so, he made about 744 million won ($660,000).The court imposed him to pay all that money in restitution for the crimes.Rejecting his claims that victims knew the shoes were counterfeit, the judges said a heavy sentence was necessary because the man had denied his crimes, which had caused harm to many consumers and damaged the brands' reputation.

Mar 1, 2019By Jung Min-ho

Chinese man jailed for selling thousands of fake Nike sneakers

Drunken captain crashes Russian ship to Busan viaduct

The Russian freighter Seagrand damaged a yacht and then crashed into a bridge in Busan. Screen capture from YouTubeBy Ko Dong-hwanCoast guards apprehended the drunken captain of a Russian freighter after it crashed into a bridge in Busan and then tried to sail away.Video footage from Feb. 28 shows the 5,998-ton Seagrand slowly making contact with Gwangan Bridge spanning 7.4 kilometers between the port city's Nam-gu and Haeundae-gu districts. The ship crashed into the bridge at about 4:23 p.m.The loaded vessel, departing Yongho Wharf for Vladivostok, Russia, had sailed in the opposite direction it was supposed to take. Forty minutes after it hit a yacht at Yongho Wharf in Busan on Feb. 28, the Russian freighter Seagrand crashed into Gwangan Bridge. Screen capture from YouTubeThe incident damaged the ship's deck, according to the clips. One video also showed a hole five meters long on the bridge.In another video, vehicles on Gwangan Bridge slow or stop as the ship nears the structure. Forty minutes before crashing into the bridge, the ship damaged a yacht. Another video shows the ship

Mar 1, 2019By Ko Dong-hwan

Drunken captain crashes Russian ship to Busan viaduct

KT in hot seat over embezzlement allegation

By Kang Seung-wooKT, still in hot water over its alleged illegal donations to lawmakers, is faced with a fresh allegation that its executives pocketed money returned from the politicians.KT Chairman Hwang Chang-gyuRaising the suspicion, the telecom company's new union and the civic group Vampire Capital Hunter have also requested the prosecution to investigate the alleged embezzlement.“Since investigations were launched by police and the prosecution last year, some lawmakers have returned all or part of the donations to KT executives, some of whom lined their pockets instead of turning in the money to the company,” the union said.“In addition, some senior officials belatedly returned the money, which is apparently embezzlement, as well.”It also claimed that despite the alleged embezzlement by its executives, Chairman Hwang Chang-gyu has yet to take any punitive action against them, implying he is behind the illegal acts.The claim came after police requested the prosecution to indict seven executives including Hwang in January, saying KT was suspected of creati

Feb 28, 2019By Kang Seung-woo

KT in hot seat over embezzlement allegation

Big Bang's Seungri to report to police over allegations

By Kang Seung-wooSeungri, a member of K-pop group Big Bang, will voluntarily under police questioning over allegations surrounding him, including drug use and distribution at a nightclub affiliated with him and solicitation of prostitution for foreign investors, his management agency said, Wednesday.Seungri“Apologizing for a month-long series of issues linked to him, Seungri is set to voluntarily appear at a police agency to give his full cooperation, including a drug test, to its investigation into allegations involving him,” YG Entertainment said in a statement.The management agency's legal team is arranging the questioning date with police. The statement came after a co-head of the nightclub, Burning Sun, reportedly tested positive for drugs despite his repeated denials of narcotic use and distribution. Prosecutors searched Lee's residence, Tuesday, while banning him from leaving the country.The test results are raising speculation that Seungri may have been involved in narcotic use or distribution, given that the singer worked as the club's public relations director.S

Feb 27, 2019By Kang Seung-woo

Big Bang's Seungri to report to police over allegations

Co-head of Burning Sun club questioned over police ties

No longer burning / YonhapSeoul police on Monday interrogated a co-head of a nightclub under investigation over allegations of narcotics use, sexual assaults, violence and corrupt ties with district police. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency has called in the co-head of Burning Sun, identified by his surname, Lee, for questioning, it said. Lee is suspected of bribing former and incumbent police officers, including a retired officer surnamed Kang, for overlooking illegalities at the club in the posh Gangnam district, such as drug use, permitting entrance, and selling alcohol, to minors.Lee turns out to be a former registered board member of a company that operates the Le Meridien Seoul hotel, inside which Burning Sun is located.Police have been investigating the nightclub over alleged selling and use of drugs. One employee has been detained and a Chinese woman is facing drug charges. The allegations have come under media spotlight since Seungri, a member of the boy band BIGBANG, worked as the club's public relations director. He has apologized over the scandal.Police have found out

Feb 25, 2019

Co-head of Burning Sun club questioned over police ties

Police to crack down on drug abuse at nightclubs

Court finalizes life sentence for murderer of NCsoft president's father

The killer of NCsoft President Yoon Song-yee's father / YonhapThe Supreme Court has confirmed a life sentence for a 42-year-old man convicted of killing the father of NCsoft President Yoon Song-yee, the top court said Monday.The court upheld the lower court sentence, turning down the prosecution's request for the death penalty and the defense's request for a lighter penalty.The man identified only by his surname Heo was indicted on suspicion of stabbing Yoon's father to death and stealing his car, smartphone and wallet over a parking dispute near the victim's house in the town of Yangpyeong, 55 kilometers east of Seoul, on Oct. 25, 2017.The district and high courts sentenced Heo to life in prison, finding the defendant guilty of committing premeditated murder given all the factors including his economic situation and reliable DNA analysis.Yoon Song-yee is president of South Korea's NCsoft, one of the world's largest online game companies. She is married to Kim Taek-jin, CEO and founder of NCsoft. (Yonhap)

Feb 25, 2019

Court finalizes life sentence for murderer of NCsoft president's father

Thai man detained over fatal hit-and-run

A Thai man has been detained over an alleged hit-and-run incident. YonhapBy Lee Min-youngA Thai man has been detained after an alleged hit-and-run incident that killed one Chinese and injured four others, police said Sunday.Mokpo Police Station in South Jeolla Province said it is investigating the man, 36, whose identity is being withheld, for allegedly striking five Chinese pedestrians while driving a truck at Sinan about 8:20 p.m. on Feb. 23.He was unlicensed and under the influence of alcohol, police said.After he fled the scene, the victims were brought to a nearby hospital, but a man, 71, later died.Police said the victims were returning home after working at a spring onion farm in the county.The suspect turned himself in to police two hours after the incident.Police said the suspect and the victims were illegal immigrants overstaying their visas.

Feb 24, 2019By Lee Min-young

Thai man detained over fatal hit-and-run

Police to crack down on drug abuse at nightclubs

A police officer loads seized articles into a vehicle after the search and seizure of Burning Sun nightclub in southern Seoul on Feb. 14. / YonhapBy Kim Jae-heunIn the wake of drug-linked rape allegations at a Gangnam-based nightclub, police are set to all-out combat narcotics circulation. According to the Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) Sunday, it will conduct a three-month intensive crackdown on drug-related crimes, mobilizing all narcotics agents across the country, until April.“The police will put out all its effort to eradicate crime using illegal drugs through this intensive control,” a police officer said. “We will also actively protect the identity of those making reports as they are important in solving the issue at hand and will make sure that they are protected with anonymity.” Some 1,063 police officers are likely to take part in the crackdown, including investigators, cyber police and officers in charge of sex crimes.The move came after staff at Burning Sun allegedly helped its VIP customers rape young women after drugging them with gamma-Hyd

Feb 24, 2019By Kim Jae-heun

Police to crack down on drug abuse at nightclubs

Co-head of Burning Sun club questioned over police ties

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