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Court hands down 30 years in domestic violence murder case

A man suspected of murdering his ex-wife enters the Seoul Southern District Court for the review of a request for an arrest warrant in this October file photo. / YonhapBy Lee Suh-yoonA man charged with stabbing his ex-wife to death in a parking lot in western Seoul, was sentenced to 30 years in jail, Friday. In handing down the verdict, the Seoul Southern District Court said the convicted man demonstrated a “high risk” of repeating a similar crime.The man, surnamed Kim, stabbed his wife 13 times in the parking lot of an apartment complex in western Seoul, Oct. 22.“He blamed his ex-wife for their split, tracked her consistently, stalked her and finally killed her,” the court said. “The bereaved family, including the victim's daughters, suffered huge grief and mental pain, and are demanding heavy punishment for fear of retaliation.” The case raised attention to the vulnerability of domestic violence victims ― even after divorce.The victim divorced Kim four years before the murder, after he had repeatedly assaulted her and their three daughters. Despi

Jan 25, 2019

Court hands down 30 years in domestic violence murder case

Public mixed on petition for helping injured tourist at the Grand Canyon

Park has been brain dead since he fell off a cliff at the Grand Canyon last month. / YonhapBy Jung Hae-myoung Whether the government should financially support an individual who fell from a cliff at the Grand Canyon and is currently in a coma is drawing a mixed reaction.On Dec. 30, 2018, a 25-year-old man surnamed Park fell off the cliff and was transferred to a hospital. Although he survived physically, he is still unconscious. His medical bill at the Flag Staff Medical Center is now over 1 billion won ($ 885,347), and his family wants him to be brought back to Korea, which will cost an additional 200 million won.“If the duty of citizen is to do their duty to the state, the state's responsibility is to protect its countrymen, even one,” stated a post written by Park's uncle on the Cheong Wa Dae website for a petition which has received more than 19,000 signatures. However, the post faced a huge backlash with people saying the government should not provide any financial support. Some showed sympathy, but a large number argued the fall was Park's own fault and his family s

Jan 24, 2019

Public mixed on petition for helping injured tourist at the Grand Canyon

Former Supreme Court chief justice's arrest draws shock, relief

Yang boards a car in front of Seoul Central District Court after a court hearing on his arrest warrant, Wednesday, to be transferred to Seoul Detention Center. Korea Times photo by Seo Jae-hoonYang to be held in same detention center as Park Geun-hyeBy Lee Suh-yoonThe arrest of ex-Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae ― named as the principal agent of the Park Geun-hye administration's political meddling in court cases ― generated both shock and relief Thursday.Chief Justice Kim Myeong-su, Yang's successor, called the arrest “a tragic and shameful event,” reflecting the numbing blow it dealt to the overall legitimacy of the judiciary body. The response from lawmakers across the political spectrum was divided, with the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) calling the arrest “an obvious conclusion” and “a chance to regain the public's fallen trust in the judiciary.” The main conservative opposition Liberal Korea Party (LKP), however, called the arrest another form of political revenge against conservative administrations of the past. Cheong Wa

Jan 24, 2019

Former Supreme Court chief justice's arrest draws shock, relief

'Photo line' vs. human rights

Unprecedented: Ex-Supreme Court chief justice arrested in power abuse probe

Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae was arrested early Thursday on charges that he abused his authority to influence trials as a political tool to lobby the previous government. YonhapFormer Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae was arrested early Thursday on charges that he abused his authority to influence trials as a political tool to lobby the previous government. The Seoul Central District Court issued the writ, citing that his charges are proven and that he presents a risk of destroying evidence given his position and the seriousness of the case. Yang was immediately taken into custody at the Seoul Detention Center. The court denied the arrest warrant for retired Justice Park Byong-dae, former head of the National Court Administration (NCA), the top court's governing body, for his involvement in the alleged crime. The latest court decision on Yang, 71, marks the fall from grace of the retired veteran justice, with a career of more than 40 years, to now a suspect facing at least 40 counts of criminal charges in a trial. He stands accused of using or seeking to u

Jan 24, 2019

Unprecedented: Ex-Supreme Court chief justice arrested in power abuse probe

Top court chief apologizes over his predecessor's arrest in power abuse scandal

Court to decide on arrest warrant for former Supreme Court chief

Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae enters the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul, Wednesday. YonhapFormer Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae appeared at a Seoul court Wednesday to attend a hearing that will decide whether he should be arrested over massive power abuse allegations.Yang arrived at the Seoul Central District Court at about 10:30 a.m. He passed through a swarm of reporters and camera crews without saying a word.The former top court chief from 2011-2017 stands accused of using or seeking to use trials as political leverage to lobby the office of then-President Park Geun-hye to get her approval for the establishment of a separate court of appeals, his pet project.Prosecutors filed for his arrest warrant last Friday.He is the first former head of South Korea's Supreme Court to have faced questioning as a criminal suspect and be on the verge of being placed under presentencing detention. He has undergone three separate interrogations this month.The scandal involving top justices and the top court has rattled the country, placing the judi

Jan 23, 2019

Court to decide on arrest warrant for former Supreme Court chief

Human rights watchdog to investigate Olympic star's rape scandal

National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) Chairwoman Choi Young-ae speaks about a plan to launch a special investigation unit to deal with violence and sexual abuse allegations in the sports circle and come up with countermeasures, during a press conference at the NHRCK building in central Seoul, Tuesday. / YonhapBy Kim Jae-heunThe human rights watchdog will establish a special unit to investigate human rights violations and sexual assault in sports, planning for the largest-ever survey of athletes about their experiences of violence and other types of abuse.The plan to eradicate such malicious practices has come amid revelations of sexual assault involving Shim Suk-hee, one of the nation's top short track speed skating stars.“Violence has been justified in the training process here to win a medal and sexual violence came from there,” National Human Rights Commission of Korea Chairwoman Choi Young-ae said during a press conference at the commission's building in central Seoul, Tuesday. “Victims cannot fight back against such crimes and th

Jan 22, 2019By Kim Jae-heun

Human rights watchdog to investigate Olympic star's rape scandal

Convicted foreigners may be denied naturalization

The court ruled that a permanent resident who was convicted of fraud or embezzlement cannot be naturalized as a Korean. gettyimagesbankBy Dong Sun-hwaForeigners with permanent resident status may not be eligible for naturalization if they are convicted of fraud and embezzlement, a court ruled last week. The Seoul Administrative ruling came in a case in which a Southeast Asian woman filed a complaint against the Minister of Justice for denying her application for naturalization in April. Citing her crimes, the court ruled, “It is hard to see that she has appropriate moral character and behavior to become Korea's new member.” The woman, who married a Korean and has four children, has been living here as a permanent resident with an F-5 visa. She applied for naturalization last year, but the Ministry of Justice rejected the application.While working as a counselor at a support center for foreign workers in 2013 and 2014, the woman swindled about 40 million won ($36,000) in severance pay from six alien workers, who had to leave Korea before receiving the money because their s

Jan 21, 2019By Dong Sun-hwa

Convicted foreigners may be denied naturalization

Decomposed body found in Busan

By Park Si-sooA decomposed female body has been found at a house in Busan, police said Sunday. Police found the body at 10:15 a.m. Saturday while searching the house at the request of the woman's family, who said they had lost contact to her for about 10 months. The body was in the bedroom and there were no signs of foul play, police said. Family members said they had been unable to contact the woman since March or April last year A neighbor said the woman ― identified by only her surname Park in her 60s ― “hardly ate” because her health was “chronically bad.” Police will conduct an autopsy.

Jan 20, 2019

Embattled animal rights activist apologizes

Park So-yeon, head of the Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth, speaks at a press conference in Seoul, Saturday. YonhapThe head of a South Korean animal shelter on Saturday apologized for euthanizing stray pets, but claimed that she put stray pets to death with a "humanitarian" purpose.Park So-yeon, chief executive of the organization Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth (CARE), has been accused of euthanizing more than 200 homeless animals and of secretly burying a number of them between 2015 and last year.Park is also suspected of embezzling money from CARE sponsors and keeping it for her personal use, buying, among other things, a plot of land.In her first official remarks following the allegations, Park told reporters that she sincerely apologizes for euthanizing homeless animals.She decided to carry out the euthanasia in secret because of her "lack of courage and fear, because it could cause a huge controversy."However, she said, "I clearly state that euthanasia by CARE was humanitarian mercy killing, not a mass cull." Park also said she will fully cooperate with an

Jan 19, 2019

Embattled animal rights activist apologizes

A stunning fall from grace for 'animal savior'

Prosecution requests arrest warrant for ex-top court chief

By Kang Seung-wooThe prosecution sought an arrest warrant for former Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae, Friday, over a massive judiciary power abuse scandal.Yang Sung-taeYang, who headed the top court from 2011 to 2017, is facing allegations of using high-profile trials as bargaining chips in dealings with the Park Geun-hye administration for the establishment of a new court of appeals.The arrest warrant request came one week after the 70-year-old became the first former top court chief in history to face a prosecution questioning as a criminal suspect, Jan. 4. He had two more interrogations on Monday and Tuesday. He faces 40 different charges of abuse of power during his tenure, including the delay of a court ruling on forced wartime laborers' compensation suits against Japanese firms and unfair treatment against judges on a “blacklist” with differing political views, among others.In addition, he is also accused of his alleged interference in dissolution of the leftist Unified Progressive Party, the top court's illegal collection of secret documents of the Consti

Jan 18, 2019By Kang Seung-woo

Law & Crime

Law & Crime

Court hands down 30 years in domestic violence murder case

Public mixed on petition for helping injured tourist at the Grand Canyon

Former Supreme Court chief justice's arrest draws shock, relief

Unprecedented: Ex-Supreme Court chief justice arrested in power abuse probe

Court to decide on arrest warrant for former Supreme Court chief

Human rights watchdog to investigate Olympic star's rape scandal

Convicted foreigners may be denied naturalization

Decomposed body found in Busan

Embattled animal rights activist apologizes

Prosecution requests arrest warrant for ex-top court chief

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