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Korean Air 'nut rage' heiress probed over alleged attacks on husband

Cho Hyun-ah (Heather Cho) / YonhapBy Jung Min-hoInjuries allegedly caused by Cho's violence / Courtesy of Cho's husbandCho Hyun-ah, 44, the Korean Air heiress who made headlines around the world for the 2014 “nut rage” incident, is being investigated for allegedly attacking her husband during divorce proceedings.The Suseo Police Station in Seoul said Saturday that investigators started analyzing evidence provided by her husband, surnamed Park, 45, who claims Cho's abusive behavior against him and five-year-old twin sons destroyed their marriage.In a recently released video, Cho shouts “Die! Die!” at Park, who told investigators his wife repeatedly “strangled him” and threw a tablet PC at him, which seriously injured his toe.On Feb. 20, Park said he was preparing for a long legal battle.“I thought it would be better to put up with it, but when my child asked me, 'Dad, would you protect me?,' I was able to get up the nerve (to fight),” he wrote on Facebook. “I'm afraid of standing up to a chaebol family, but as a father, I will prot

Feb 24, 2019By Jung Min-ho
Korean Air 'nut rage' heiress probed over alleged attacks on husband

Student transferred to Korea 52 days after Grand Canyon fall

By Dong Sun-hwaPark was transferred to Korea on Friday. YonhapPark Joon-hyuk, who was hospitalized in the U.S. after falling off a cliff at the Grand Canyon in December, was transferred to Korea on Friday. Park, 25, was on a Korean Air plane that arrived at Incheon International Airport Friday afternoon, 52 days after the accident. An air ambulance, which costs about 200 million won ($177,000), was not needed thanks to Park's improved condition. The transfer cost was about 25 million won ($22,000) and Korean Air is known to have paid it. The airline reportedly connected seats to provide a bed for Park, arranged space for the medical devices and offered a free seat for a medical assistant. After the accident on Dec. 30, Park was hospitalized at the Flagstaff Medical Center in Arizona. He was in a coma, but recently regained consciousness. There has been debate in Korea over whether the government should support Park's medical and transport expenses. His medical bill is known to be about 650 million won ($570,000). The controversy was ignited after Park's uncle called for help to bring

Feb 22, 2019By Dong Sun-hwa
Student transferred to Korea 52 days after Grand Canyon fall

Police zero in on cozy ties between police and Burning Sun

A patrol car is parked in front of Burning Sun nightclub in southern Seoul, which is at the center of allegations of drug trafficking, sexual violence and corrupt ties with police, Sunday, when the club decided to shut down amid the escalating suspicions. / YonhapBy Jung Hae-myoungPolice have confirmed several police officers received money from managers of Burning Sun, the nightclub in southern Seoul that is currently under investigation regarding drug use and sexual violence there.This backs a claim by a customer who said the club and police officers in charge of the district had corrupt ties.According to Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, Thursday, they have been questioning former and incumbent officers at the Gangnam Police Station and the Yeoksam precinct in charge of the district where Burning Sun is located, and booked some of them on suspicion of bribery, as they allegedly took money in return for covering up the club's allowing of minors to enter.One of the people booked is a former officer at Gangnam station surnamed Kang, who allegedly played a key role in linking the club

Feb 22, 2019
Police zero in on cozy ties between police and Burning Sun

University hospital doctors, nurses acquitted in deaths of four newborns

/ YonhapA Seoul court on Thursday acquitted seven doctors and nurses of Ewha Womans University Hospital of criminal charges brought against them over the deaths of four newborns by bacterial infection at the western Seoul hospital in December 2017.The Seoul Southern District Court said it has found four doctors and three nurses at the university hospital not guilty of death by occupational negligence over the deaths of the newborns, citing lack of direct evidence.On Dec. 16, 2017, four infants died within a span of two hours while being treated in the intensive care unit of the general hospital. Forensic results later confirmed that their deaths were all caused by the same type of bacteria that can be fatal to immunocompromised patients. After months of investigation, the seven were referred to trial on charges of death by occupational negligence."Negligence was recognized in the hospital's infection control. But a direct causal link between injections and the deaths of newborns has not been established," the court said in its ruling.Police's forensic findings have suggested the inje

Feb 22, 2019
University hospital doctors, nurses acquitted in deaths of four newborns

Politicians unlikely to be pardoned

By Kang Seung-wooPark Sang-kiConvicted politicians are not likely to be among the beneficiaries of presidential pardons on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the March 1 Independence Movement, according to legal sources, Thursday.This is seen as a move to prevent any charges of political favoritism they said. However, people found guilty for their roles in rallies linked to the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System (THAAD) and the 2014 sinking of the ferry Sewol will be recommended to President Moon Jae-in for special pardons.The Ministry of Justice held meetings, presided over by Minister Park Sang-ki, from Wednesday to Thursday to finalize a list of people for amnesty. Earlier, the ministry asked district police agencies to submit possible candidates.The government here traditionally grants amnesty on nationally significant days. President Moon has issued special pardons once in December 2017 after taking office in May the same year. In the lead-up to the centennial of the 1919 independence movement, there has been rampant speculation that progressive fig

Feb 21, 2019By Kang Seung-woo
Politicians unlikely to be pardoned

Women under probe after fighting back against alleged rapist

A woman who attacked a man who allegedly raped her may be indicted on assault charges. gettyimagesbankBy Jung Min-hoA woman is being investigated for allegedly wounding a man with a knife after she realized that he “raped” her while she slept.The Gwangju Seobu Police Station said Wednesday that it is investigating whether her attack was necessary. The man, 36, has also been questioned for the alleged crime.According to police, the two drank at his place in western Gwangju on Feb. 15. But after she fell asleep, he allegedly raped her, which woke her up. In anger, she grabbed a knife from the kitchen and attacked him. Police said his injuries are minor.Police did not release her immediately because they thought her attack, which did not occur during his alleged rape attempt, may not be covered by Korea's self-defense law, which is notorious for its lack of flexibility for defenders.Under the law, people are allowed to use force to “prevent unjust infringement of one's or another person's legal interest,” as long as there are reasonable grounds for that act and t

Feb 21, 2019By Jung Min-ho
Women under probe after fighting back against alleged rapist

1,650 foreign criminal suspects caught in northern Gyeonggi in 2018: police data

The Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police AgencyBy Park Si-soo Police caught 1,650 foreigners committing crimes in northern Gyeonggi Province last year, with concerns over the number nabbed for drug consumption. The area is home to numerous factories and other industrial facilities that have workers from developing countries. Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police Agency, responsible for the area, revealed its crackdown data for 2018 on Thursday. The figures showed 64 people were arrested while others faced criminal procedures without detention. Violence (426 cases) dominated, followed by intellectual crime (230), theft (139), drug violations (36) and sexual crime (23).The total was slightly less compared with 2017 (1,777 cases). The agency is concerned about drug violations, which were running at between one and five between 2010 and 2015. They spiked at 83 in 2016, but fell to 49 in 2017 and 36 last year. Officials say they will have to remain vigilant to prevent the figures from bouncing back.

Feb 21, 2019
1,650 foreign criminal suspects caught in northern Gyeonggi in 2018: police data

Police halt clearing out of Burning Sun to stop evidence loss

Seungri, a member of K-pop band Big Bang, was a board member of Burning Sun, a nightclub in southern Seoul that closed recently amid allegations of drug use by the staff to assist VIP customers' rape of young women. / Courtesy of YG EntertainmentBy Jung Hae-myoungPolice have halted workers from removing furniture and other items from Burning Sun, a nightclub that shut down recently amid escalating drug use allegations, to prevent loss of any possible evidence.The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said Thursday that about a dozen investigators, including members of the cyber investigation unit, inspected and filmed the facility Wednesday evening.The inspection followed media reports that the club, which closed on Sunday, began removing furniture and other installations. The police said they were not aware of the removal work until the reports. They had searched the place earlier on Feb. 14.“We had secured documents and surveillance camera recordings during the earlier search,” an official at the agency said, adding Wednesday's inspection was made because they needed to lear

Feb 21, 2019
Police halt clearing out of Burning Sun to stop evidence loss

Korean Air 'nut rage' heiress accused of domestic violence

By Kang Seung-wooCho Hyun-ah, a disgraced former Korean Air vice president, has been accused of repeatedly assaulting her husband, according to police, Wednesday.Cho Hyun-ahHer husband surnamed Park filed a complaint against Cho, Tuesday, on multiple counts, including committing acts of violence against him and abusing their twin sons, the Suseo Police Station said.The two, who married in 2010, have been undergoing divorce proceedings since Park filed for this in last April. At the time he cited Cho's verbal and physical abuse as the cause for their divorce, and now he is demanding punishment for her acts. He is also claiming custody of their children.Park submitted pictures and video footage showing scars on his body, caused by Cho's multiple assaults, as evidence. Park, a plastic surgeon, has claimed Cho committed violence more frequently since her 2014 “nut rage” incident ― she delayed an international flight in New York as she was upset over the way a flight attendant served her macadamia nuts, and later served a jail term over the case. The pair has been separated si

Feb 20, 2019By Kang Seung-woo
Korean Air 'nut rage' heiress accused of domestic violence

Prosecutors raid Hyundai Motor over alleged defect cover-up

Visitors to an exhibition about children's safety at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Jung-gu, Seoul, Feb. 14, watch mannequins used to demonstrate the anti-crash feature of Hyundai Nexo. YonhapProsecutors raided the main office of Hyundai Motor and its smaller affiliate Kia Motors on Wednesday as part of a probe into allegations that the company tried to conceal defects in some of its vehicle lineups.The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office sent its investigators to search the quality division at the headquarters of South Korea's No. 1 automaker, located in Seoul's southern Seocho district, and collect evidence related to the allegations, according to the prosecution.The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and civic groups requested a prosecution probe into Hyundai and Kia in May 2017, accusing the auto company of concealing the parts defects in 12 models. The ministry ordered a recall on 238,000 of those vehicles. (Yonhap)

Feb 20, 2019
Prosecutors raid Hyundai Motor over alleged defect cover-up
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