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Man kills ex-girlfriend's family, then himself

The suspect walking to the home of the victims is caught on camera. YonhapA man in his early 30s has murdered his ex-girlfriend and her family in their home before taking his own life, police said Friday.The suspect, a 32-year-old only identified by his last name Shin, beat to death his former girlfriend surnamed Cho, 33, her 84-year-old grandmother and her parents in their residence in the southeastern port city of Busan on Thursday, according to the police.He committed suicide after the murders.An uncle of Cho made the report to police, saying he could not reach his family. Police officers who were called to the scene unlocked the door and found the victims.All the victims' bodies except Shin's ex-girlfriend were found covered with plastic and a large washbasin. Cho was found lying in the living room with signs of severe beating and ligature marks around her neck that suggested strangulation. Shin was discovered in another room.Police have secured surveillance footage of Shin entering the apartment. He was wearing a hat and sunglasses and was seen carrying a bag that police believe

Oct 26, 2018

Man kills ex-girlfriend's family, then himself

VIDEO Korea's top fried chicken franchise blasted for executive's 'attack video'

CCTV footage of a KyoChon executive abusing employees. Captured from TV ChosunBy Lee Min-youngKorea's top fried chicken franchise KyoChon became a target of public outrage on Thursday after CCTV footage of a senior executive attempting to attack employees was released. The three-minute clip was reportedly recorded at the brand's restaurant in Daegu on March 25, 2015. The executive was a relative of the company's founder and chairman Kwon Won-gang and now serves as chief of KyoChon's new business planning department. KyoChon is under fire over its executive's violence against employees. YonhapIn the footage, the executive is seen poised to punch an employee in the face, raising his fist in a threatening gesture, but was stopped by other employees. He was also seen lifting his hands against other employees who were trying to calm him as he irately knocked over food ingredients.It is unknown what angered the executive. KyoChon has not commented but a statement is expected soon. According to reports, the man quit the company soon after the incident, but returned a year later.

Oct 25, 2018By Lee Min-young

Korea's top fried chicken franchise blasted for executive's 'attack video' [VIDEO]

Court rejects arrest warrant for K-pop star Koo Hara's ex-boyfriend

By Kim Hyun-binThe Seoul Central District Court rejected the prosecutors' request for an arrest warrant for Choi Jong-bum, who is accused of threatening to leak intimate videos of his ex-girlfriend, K-pop star Koo Hara.“The suspect threatened to leak the videos after the victim (Koo) attacked him and injured his face, which is enough to affect his everyday life,” the court said, Wednesday. “Also considering the videos were not leaked to a third person, we decided there are no reasonable grounds or need to arrest him for investigation.”On Sept. 13, the two physically attacked each other and Choi reported Koo's attack to the police. On Sept. 27, new information emerged that Choi threatened to leak their sex videos. He allegedly sent a clip to her and threatened he would end her celebrity career, and CCTV footage showed Koo begging on her knees, which turned the investigation into a revenge pornography case.The police searched Choi's house, vehicle, mobile phone and USB devices, but found no evidence of an attempted leak.They said they would decide whether to req

Oct 25, 2018By Kim Hyun-bin

'Posting sex photos with blurred faces still harms victims'

By Kim Jae-heunAn appellate court upheld Wednesday a lower court ruling that gave a suspended jail term to a man for posting pictures of himself and his ex-girlfriends having sex after blurring out their faces. It ruled that the blurring of the faces did not mitigate the women's humiliation. The Seoul Central District Court had sentence the man, surnamed Kim, to six months in prison suspended for two years for uploading the photos, which he took with their consent at the time, and posting them on a porn site without consent.The court also ordered Kim to attend 40 hours of lectures on sexual offenses and banned him from working at institutes related to or involving children for two years.After the lower court verdict, Kim asked for a reduced penalty at the appeals court, saying the victims' faces were not shown in the photos and other parties could not recognize the women involved. But the court rejected this.“The victims were aware their photos had been posted on a porn site and their pictures had been exposed to many people online,” the court said. “His act was eno

Oct 25, 2018By Kim Jae-heun

Call for independent judicial panel rises in power abuse scandal

By Kang Seung-wooThe ruling party's move to form an independent judicial panel to “fairly” handle a power-abuse scandal is gaining steam, helped by bipartisan support.However, some legal experts are expressing concerns over its possible unconstitutionality. It also needs to get the nod from the main opposition party.On Tuesday, ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) floor leader Hong Young-pyo said his party will try to make a law to form an independent judicial panel in no relation to the power abuse scandal to preside over the cases of former and incumbent judges involved in it.It was the first time the ruling party leadership, rather than an individual lawmaker, indicated the creation of such a judge panel. Currently, a bill proposed by DPK Rep. Park Ju-min is pending at the National Assembly.The plan came as no one has been arrested or indicted despite the prosecution's four-month investigation into the allegation, in which former Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae used politically sensitive trials as bargaining chips in dealings with the Park Geun-hye administration to curr

Oct 24, 2018By Kang Seung-woo

Call for independent judicial panel rises in power abuse scandal

Harvard-graduate lawyer jailed for document forgery

Kang Yong-seok, handcuffed, walks out of the Seoul Central District Court after being sentenced to a year in prison for document forgery, Wednesday. YonhapBy Lee Min-young, Park Si-sooFormer lawmaker and lawyer Kang Yong-seok has been jailed for forging documents related to an adultery case he represents. The Seoul Central District Court sentenced the Harvard Law School graduate to a year in prison on Wednesday. He was taken to a detention center immediately after the ruling. His lawyer's license was suspended. Kang was embroiled in an adultery case in 2014 and the husband of Kang's alleged partner ― popular blogger Kim Mi-na, nicknamed Dodo mom ― filed a damages suit against him in January 2015, demanding 100 million won in compensation. Three months later, Kang was accused again of colluding with Kim to forge documents sealed by the husband in an illegal scheme to drop the case. It is not known yet if Kang will appeal. He served as a lawmaker between 2008 and 2012.

Oct 24, 2018By Lee Min-young

Harvard-graduate lawyer jailed for document forgery

Petition calling for father's execution causes stir

By Kim Hyun-binA woman's online petition calling for her father to be given the death penalty for killing her mother has surprised the nation.Besides the shocking content, controversy is rising over whether it is proper for the Cheong Wa Dae website to allow people to take advantage of the national petition site and suggestion board to gain public attention for personal matters.The post comes after the murder of a woman by her ex-husband at an apartment complex parking lot in Gangseo-gu, western Seoul, Monday.The ex-husband, surnamed Kim, stabbed her to death, telling police he had become emotional from the divorce process.Soon after the murder, the police began searching for Kim after examining CCTV footage recorded near the scene, one of which showed him staggering through. The police confirmed he was hospitalized after drinking and taking several sleeping pills, and detained him there. They asked the prosecution to seek an arrest warrant for him, Wednesday.The murder gained more attention after the victim's daughter, who is in her late 20s, posted the petition titled “I am t

Oct 24, 2018By Kim Hyun-bin

Arrest warrant sought for ex-judge over top court power abuse scandal

Lim Jong-hunProsecutors on Tuesday sought an arrest warrant for Lim Jong-hun, a former judge at the center of judicial power abuse allegations involving the Supreme Court.The warrant for the former deputy head of the National Court Administration (NCA), the top court's administration affairs body, has been pursued for his alleged role in illicit lobbying and trial manipulation.Lim, 59, is accused of helping former Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae use trials as bargaining chips in dealings with the presidential office under the previous conservative government to establish a separate court of appeals. Lim worked for the NCA from 2012-2017.The NCA, under Yang's direction, allegedly devised plans to influence politically sensitive trials to the advantage of then-President Park Geun-hye. Among the trials in question are the long-pending compensation case for Korean victims of Japanese wartime forced labor and a case that involves a progressive teachers union.Lim is accused of being the key man who was in charge of carrying out Yang's schemes. (Yonhap)

Oct 23, 2018

Arrest warrant sought for ex-judge over top court power abuse scandal

Mayor requests audit into Seoul Metro nepotism scandal

Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon responds to lawmakers at a National Assembly audit of the city government at Seoul City Hall, Monday. / Korea Times photo by Bae Woo-hanBy Lee Suh-yoonSeoul Mayor Park Won-soon submitted a formal request to the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI), Tuesday, to investigate a nepotism scandal at Seoul Metro, a city-owned operator of subway lines 1 to 8. The audit request comes after dozens of opposition lawmakers claimed at a National Assembly audit of the city government last week that over 100 employees — possibly more — had unfair advantages in acquiring their permanent job contracts with Seoul Metro, mainly through insider information from relatives. Earlier at Monday's audit session, Park promised to submit the case for inspection to an external body. “There should be no injustice or discrimination in the employment process,” Park told lawmakers at the time. “Since an internal investigation will not fully deal with the allegations, we will submit what was discussed here for a formal audit by the BAI.”Company re

Oct 23, 2018

Mayor requests audit into Seoul Metro nepotism scandal

41,000 Koreans fell prey to crime overseas in 2013-2017

More than 40,000 South Koreans fell prey to crime overseas in the 2013-2017 period, and the number of such cases has been rising annually, a lawmaker said Tuesday, citing a National Police Agency report.The report, submitted to Rep. Kim Young-woo of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party by the agency, showed that 41,035 South Koreans were the victims of crime while overseas last year. The number of South Koreans subject to crime abroad rose from 4,967 in 2013 to 5,952 in 2014, then to 8,297 in 2015 and 12,529 in 2016.During the reported period, 29,969 were the victims of theft and those implicated in fraud, traffic accidents, assaults and muggings totaled 1,609, 1,396, 1,355 and 1,002, respectively.In comparison, the number of consulate officials who were sent by the police agency to have a presence at overseas embassies came to a mere 55 at 48 missions in 31 countries.Kim called for the agency to increase the number of consular officials so as to strengthen its efforts to protect South Koreans from crime and accidents overseas. (Yonhap)

Oct 23, 2018

Law & Crime

Law & Crime

Man kills ex-girlfriend's family, then himself

VIDEO Korea's top fried chicken franchise blasted for executive's 'attack video'

Court rejects arrest warrant for K-pop star Koo Hara's ex-boyfriend

'Posting sex photos with blurred faces still harms victims'

Call for independent judicial panel rises in power abuse scandal

Harvard-graduate lawyer jailed for document forgery

Petition calling for father's execution causes stir

Arrest warrant sought for ex-judge over top court power abuse scandal

Mayor requests audit into Seoul Metro nepotism scandal

41,000 Koreans fell prey to crime overseas in 2013-2017

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