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Man accused of extorting W200 million with 'sex with my wife' scheme

By Park Si-soo A man allegedly used his wife's body to extort 200 million won ($1.77 million) from a wealthy neighbor, police said Monday. The man, 37, was arrested and his wife, 36, is being investigated, according to Jeonju police. According to police, in September 2015, despite financial difficulties, the man borrowed 90 million won from a wealthy neighbor to start a business. To raise more funds, he came up with an ethically unthinkable scheme: selling his wife's body. He suggested that his wife have sex with the neighbor and the wife agreed. The wife invited the rich neighbor to a motel where they had sex in May last year. The husband ambushed the neighbor on his way out of the motel and threatened to call police. The neighbor gave him 150 million won on three occasions in exchange for closing the case. But the neighbor soon realized something was wrong and called police. Police checked the couple's text messages, which confirmed criminal collusion of the two.

Sep 10, 2018

Man accused of extorting W200 million with 'sex with my wife' scheme

VIDEO Two witnesses' accounts about Grace Road Church

Grace Road Church in Gwacheon, South KoreaBy Jung Hae-myoungLee Seo-yeon, 24, lost her mother to the Grace Road Church and has lived as a “nobody” until recently.Shin Ok-ju, the pastor and founder of the church, was arrested on Aug. 3 on a charge of forcing followers to stay on Fiji, where the church had a community, and inciting them to assault uncooperative members.After releasing an article about Shin, a woman emailed The Korea Times. The sender claimed she had escaped from Fiji in 2014, after being deceived by her mother.We talked over the phone and made arrangements to meet at a coffee shop at The Korea Times building at 7:30 pm on Aug. 17.Lee Seo-yeon came in and apologized for running late from work. She was like any other woman in her 20s in Korea. After taking a sip of green tea, she started talking about what happened to her four years ago.In 2014, her mother, a believer in the church, told her that she wanted to settle there. As a good daughter of the widowed mother, she followed that wish, although she didn't believe in any religion. She arrived in Fiji o

Sep 10, 2018

Two witnesses' accounts about Grace Road Church [VIDEO]

Court upholds permanent entry ban on Chinese tycoon

By Kim Jae-heunA Seoul court ruled against a Chinese business leader's request for the lifting of a permanent entry ban on him due to his sex crimes against Korean employees. According to judicial circles, Sunday, the Seoul Administrative Court dismissed the Chinese chairman's of Jeshing Group's lawsuit filed against the head of the immigration office, which banned him from entering Korea ever again.The man was being investigated by the prosecution over the charge of sexual assault and harassment of two Korean women who worked as his private flight attendant and secretary. Prosecutors suspended the indictment of the man when the victims decided not to press charges despite the confirmation of his crimes.However, the immigration authorities slapped the man with a permanent entry ban and then he lodged a suit against the immigration office. “According to the prosecution's investigation, it clearly explains the plaintiff molested the victims using his position at work. There is a concern that he could commit acts against public safety and the national interest if allowed into the

Sep 9, 2018By Kim Jae-heun

Man jailed for fighting back against attacker

If you hit back, do not expect Korea's self-defense law to support you. YonhapBy Jung Min-hoA man has received a prison sentence for assaulting a driver who attacked him first.The Seoul Eastern District Court sentenced the man, 39, to eight months in prison Saturday for retaliating against a driver, 52, who hit him first with a weapon after an argument about the driver's driving style.On the other hand, the court gave the driver a suspended prison sentence.According to the prosecution, the driver hit the younger guy with a “blunt weapon” in anger last September after repeatedly being told to drive slowly.But the younger man took the weapon from the driver and attacked him back with it, leaving the older man with injuries requiring six weeks of medical treatment.The younger man claimed he acted in self-defense, but the court said he had other options, including simply running away from the situation. Judge Jang Dong-min said the behavior should be considered an assault that was obviously beyond what should be allowed under the self-defense law.The case highlights Korea's c

Sep 9, 2018By Jung Min-ho

Man jailed for fighting back against attacker

Korea's self-defense law - nothing but a name

Steamy petition: 'My jailed husband didn't touch her buttocks'

By Ko Dong-hwanThis closed circuit television footage shows the encounter inside a restaurant between a man and a woman after which the woman accused the man of grabbing her buttocks.A wife's claim that her husband, recently jailed for sexual harassment, had been wrongfully accused has drawn many sympathizers on the presidential petition site.Her claim appeared on Cheong Wa Dae's public petition site on Sept. 6. In three days, the post has attracted more than 224,000 anonymous votes, surpassing the 200,000 cap and therefore obligating the presidential office's official response. The post, according to the site's regulations, has one month to draw further support.The man, father of a son, 8, was jailed for six months on Sept. 5. The man was also ordered to undergo 40 hours of sexual crime therapy and banned from working in places involving children and youths for three years, according to a court's ruling statement posted on Bobaedream, an online community where the wife first revealed the case.The wife also posted on the community site security video camera footage showing the scene

Sep 9, 2018By Ko Dong-hwan

Steamy petition: 'My jailed husband didn't touch her buttocks'

Prisoner with 'buttocks touching' charge draws street supporters

Vegetable thefts rise as hot weather, rain send prices soaring

Raids on vegetable farms and greenhouses are rising. YonhapBy Jung Hae-myoung Thefts of vegetables and crops from farms and greenhouses are increasing after produce prices skyrocketed due to the long hot spell and heavy rain this summer. According to the North Chungcheong Police Agency, 11 thefts were reported from July to August this year,  double the number reported from January to June. Prices for agricultural products have increased 7 percent compared to last year. They have risen significantly for rice (33.4 percent), pepper powder (44.2 percent), watermelon (31.1 percent) and peaches (29 percent). A man, 63, was recently arrested for stealing crops. In June, a man, 61, was jailed for stealing rice, beans and sesame. He also stole crops from 12 places.

Sep 8, 2018

Vegetable thefts rise as hot weather, rain send prices soaring

Man jailed for importing, selling illegal diet pills

The man was jailed for selling diet pills that contained an illegal substance. YonhapBy Jung Hae-myoungA man in 20s was sentenced to 18 months' jail for importing and selling diet pills that contained illegal drugs.According to Incheon District Court Thursday, the man sold the diet pills called Fastin-XR, which contain psychotropic drugs called N-ethyl-amine. He received the drug through his brother-in-law who owns an online shop in the United States. He sold 2,590 of the tablets. Fastin-XR is banned by the Korea Food and Drug Administration because it contains the stimulant amphetamine. “The convict sold the drugs for a long period of time,” the judge said. “He showed no signs of repentance.”

Sep 7, 2018

Man jailed for importing, selling illegal diet pills

Five immigration cops face accusation of violence against Uzbek student

This CCTV footage shows immigration officials attacking an Uzbek man near a construction site in Haman, where he was allegedly working without a permit.By Park Si-sooFive immigration officials will be charged with violence against an Uzbek student during a crackdown on undocumented foreigners in South Gyeongsang Province in July. After a two-month probe, the Gyeongsang Provincial Police Agency said Friday it had demanded that the prosecution take the officials to trial. It's unlikely the prosecution will reject the call. The investigation was based on CCTV footage, witness testimonies and other evidence. See CCTV footage: https://bit.ly/2QbY3jmInvestigators confirmed the officials' violence against the Uzbek had gone beyond the legal limit. The officials also detained the student for longer than allowed, they said. The incident happened on July 16 when the Uzbek, 24, was resting in the shade while working at a construction site in Haman. CCTV footage shows the officers from the immigration office's Changwon branch attempting to take him into a minivan. But as the man resisted, the of

Sep 7, 2018

Five immigration cops face accusation of violence against Uzbek student

20 years sought for ex-President Lee

By Lee Kyung-min The prosecution sought 20 years in prison for former President Lee Myung-bak, Thursday, on a wide range of corruption charges. It also requested the Seoul Central District Court to fine him 15 billion won ($13.3 million) and 11.1 billion won in forfeiture of illicit financial gains.The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office earlier indicted the 77-year-old on 16 charges including bribery, abuse of power, embezzlement, breach of trust, tax evasion and violations of the election and presidential records laws. The ruling will be made Oct. 5.“We need to restore democracy and the rule of law through the stern punishment of Lee who committed unconstitutional acts. He abused the power the public delegated to him by seeking illicit personal gains,” the lead prosecutor in the case said. “Stern punishment is inevitable for the unprecedented corruption involving Lee who has become the fourth former president to stand criminal trial for serving his personal interest while in office.”Prosecutors said Lee became president by deceiving the public about w

Sep 6, 2018

Prosecutors demand 20-year jail term for ex-President Lee Myung-bak

Prosecutors requested a Seoul court Thursday sentence former President Lee Myung-bak to 20 years in prison for corruption and other charges.The demand was delivered to the three-judge panel at the Seoul Central District Court in Lee's trial that began in early May. Prosecutors also called for a 15 billion-won ($13.4 million) fine and a forfeiture of 11.1 billion won for the disgraced ex-leader. The court will announce its verdict early next month. Lee, president from 2008-2013, was indicted in April on 16 counts of corruption ranging from bribery, abuse of power and embezzlement to other irregularities. He has been under presentencing detention since his arrest in late March. The 76-year-old is the fourth former president to face a criminal trial after ex-Presidents Chun Doo-hwan, Roh Tae-woo and Park Geun-hye. Park is serving a 25-year jail term for corruption, pending a top court decision. The former Seoul mayor is accused of taking about 11.1 billion won in bribes from the state intelligence agency and a former head of a state-run banking firm.Part of the bribes also includes $5.8

Sep 6, 2018

Law & Crime

Law & Crime

Man accused of extorting W200 million with 'sex with my wife' scheme

VIDEO Two witnesses' accounts about Grace Road Church

Court upholds permanent entry ban on Chinese tycoon

Man jailed for fighting back against attacker

Steamy petition: 'My jailed husband didn't touch her buttocks'

Vegetable thefts rise as hot weather, rain send prices soaring

Man jailed for importing, selling illegal diet pills

Five immigration cops face accusation of violence against Uzbek student

20 years sought for ex-President Lee

Prosecutors demand 20-year jail term for ex-President Lee Myung-bak

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