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CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.

EXPLAINER Life or death? Possible sentences for Yoon Suk Yeol’s insurrection charge

As Korea awaits a landmark sentencing against former President Yoon Suk Yeol, expected within months, prosecutors find themselves legally constrained by the country’s narrow range of possible punishments. Yoon faces charges of insurrection over his Dec. 3, 2024, martial law declaration, making him the first president in Korea’s democratic history to be indicted on such counts for actions taken while in office. Under the Criminal Act’s strict provisions governing insurrection ringleaders, sentencing options are limited to three: death, life imprisonment with labor, or life imprisonment without labor. The special counsel investigating the case will seek one of the three during the final hearing slated for Tuesday. Although South Korea has not carried out an execution in more than a quarter-century, the unprecedented nature of the case — compounded by Yoon’s steadfast denial of responsibility — has reignited a national debate over whether the ultimate penalty should be considered, nearly 30 years after it was last sought against a former head of state. Prosecutors and lawyers cl

Jan 11, 2026By Lee Hae-rin
[EXPLAINER] Life or death? Possible sentences for Yoon Suk Yeol’s insurrection charge

Court delays final hearing in trial of ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol

The Seoul Central District Court said Friday that it would postpone the final hearing in the insurrection case against former President Yoon Suk Yeol until Tuesday. The court had planned to proceed Friday with the defense’s review of documentary evidence, followed by sentencing demands from the special counsel, final arguments by defense lawyers and closing statements from each defendant. But despite the session beginning at 9:20 a.m., the defense had not completed its review of the evidence, even after more than 12 hours. Yoon’s legal team said the volume of case materials had increased after the special counsel recently amended the indictment, requiring at least six additional hours of review and making it impractical to conclude arguments that day. The court set the next hearing for Tuesday, when it plans to complete the defense’s review of the evidence before proceeding to sentencing requests and final statements. During Friday’s hearing, the court said it would be fairer and more efficient to allow those who had prepared to speak while they still had the energy to do so, ad

Jan 9, 2026By Jung Da-hyun
Court delays final hearing in trial of ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol

Arrest warrant sought for pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon in pro-Yoon courthouse riot

Prosecutors on Thursday sought an arrest warrant for conservative activist pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon in connection with a courthouse riot related to former President Yoon Suk Yeol, sources said. According to the sources, prosecutors filed the warrant against Jeon, who is suspected of encouraging pro-Yoon protesters' violent riot at the Seoul Western District Court on Jan. 19 last year. The riot broke out after the court extended Yoon's detention over his declaration of martial law on Dec. 3, 2024. Jeon, lead pastor at Seoul's Sarang Jeil Church, is accused of inciting trespassing and obstruction of official duties.

Jan 8, 2026By Yonhap
Arrest warrant sought for pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon in pro-Yoon courthouse riot

Police question ex-council member over alleged cash delivery to ruling party lawmaker

Police on Thursday questioned a former local council member over his claim that he delivered 10 million won ($6,900) in cash to ruling party lawmaker Kim Byung-kee in the hopes of a nomination for the 2020 parliamentary elections. The former member of Seoul's Dongjak Ward Council was questioned as a suspect at an office of the Seoul Metropolitan Police after disclosing the apparent bribe in a petition submitted to former Rep. Lee Su-jin of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) in late 2023. Lee recently mentioned the petition to the press amid a snowballing corruption scandal involving Kim and his family. Kim stepped down as DPK floor leader last week to take responsibility for the various allegations of misconduct. In the petition, the former council member reportedly claimed that his wife offered a Lunar New Year's gift and 5 million won in cash to Kim's wife ahead of the 2020 parliamentary election but that they were rejected for being "too much for a gift and too little" for a nomination. At the time, Kim was head of the DPK's preliminary candidate vetting committee. The petition

Jan 8, 2026By Yonhap
Police question ex-council member over alleged cash delivery to ruling party lawmaker

Cambodia extradites alleged scam boss, sanctioned by Korea, to China

Cambodia has arrested and extradited the chairman of Prince Group, Chen Zhi, who was sanctioned by Korea over kidnappings linked to online job scams, to China, according to the Southeast Asian nation's interior ministry Thursday. The Cambodian ministry said in a statement dated Wednesday that it arrested and extradited Chen, along with two other Chinese nationals, the previous day, following months of joint investigative cooperation with Chinese authorities. Last November, Korea imposed sanctions on 15 individuals and 132 entities, including Chen and his company, marking the first time Seoul imposed sanctions over transnational crimes in Southeast Asia. Prince Group has been accused of running illicit online scam rings operating in Cambodia, where many Koreans have been lured with the promise of high-paying jobs. The death of a Korean college student, who was tortured by an online job-scam ring in Cambodia last August, triggered public outrage and prompted the government to address the issue. In the statement, the Cambodian ministry said it arrested "three Chinese nationals — namely Che

Jan 8, 2026By Yonhap
Cambodia extradites alleged scam boss, sanctioned by Korea, to China

Defense ministry vows swift execution of undisbursed payments for 2025

The defense ministry said Thursday it is working closely with the finance ministry to enable portions of the defense budget that were not disbursed by end-2025 to be executed as swiftly as possible. The announcement came as controversy erupted over the defense ministry's failure to pay about 1.3 trillion won ($899 million) in defense-related expenditures to military units and defense contractors by the end of last year. Earlier in the day, a local news outlet reported that those unpaid funds included some 60.4 billion for service members' meals and clothing. The defense ministry said some payments were not executed due to a temporary shortage of funds as demand for spending by government ministries was concentrated at the year-end. "Portions of last year's expenditures were not partly settled, but this does not currently affect the provision of food, clothing and housing for service members," ministry spokesperson Chung Binna said at a press briefing. "We will closely cooperate with the fiscal authorities to swiftly execute the undisbursed funds," she said. The finance ministry said Tuesda

Jan 8, 2026By Yonhap
Defense ministry vows swift execution of undisbursed payments for 2025

Two lawmakers of ruling party lose seats over election law violations

Two lawmakers of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) lost their parliamentary seats Thursday after the Supreme Court upheld lower court rulings on election law violations. The top court confirmed a 7 million-won ($4,800) fine against Rep. Yi Byeong-jin on charges of underreporting his assets during the parliamentary elections in April 2024, when he was elected into office. It also upheld another lower court ruling that sentenced Rep. Shin Yeong-dae's former campaign manager to a suspended prison term on charges of distorting a party opinion poll in the lead-up to the 2024 elections. By law, a lawmaker is stripped of his or her parliamentary seat if convicted of violating the Public Official Election Act and sentenced to a prison term or a fine of 1 million won or more. Their election is also invalidated if their campaign manager receives a prison term or a fine of 3 million won or more. Yi was indicted in October 2024 on charges of failing to report some of his assets during his election campaign, including some 70 million won worth of stocks and a record of having put up land he p

Jan 8, 2026By Yonhap
Two lawmakers of ruling party lose seats over election law violations

Key suspect nabbed over killing of Korean student in Cambodia

A key suspect in the torture and killing of a Korean college student in Cambodia has been apprehended in Thailand, authorities said Thursday. The 42-year-old Chinese national, surnamed Ham, was detained in a raid Wednesday at his hideout in Pattaya in a joint operation involving Korea's justice ministry, National Police Agency, National Intelligence Service and the Thai authorities. Ham is suspected of leading the scam ring that lured a Korean college student to Cambodia and tortured him to death in August last year. The case sparked outrage in Korea and led to a government-wide campaign to tackle growing crimes against its nationals in the Southeast Asian nation, including through the mass repatriation in October of 64 suspects allegedly involved in similar crimes. The justice ministry said it will seek the suspect's extradition to Korea with the help of the Thai government.

Jan 8, 2026By Yonhap
Key suspect nabbed over killing of Korean student in Cambodia

Prosecutors request arrest warrant for chairman of MBK Partners over Homeplus

Prosecutors have sought a warrant for the chairman of private equity firm MBK Partners, Kim Byung-ju, to question him over the management of troubled retailer Homeplus Co., according to sources familiar with the matter Thursday. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office requested the warrant Wednesday to question Kim and three senior executives, including a co-chief executive of Homeplus, on charges of fraud and violation of the Capital Markets Act, according to the sources. MBK Partners acquired a 100 percent stake in Homeplus in 2015 from British retailer Tesco Plc for 7.2 trillion won ($4.9 billion). The retailer, however, became financially strapped due to a slump in the discount store industry and eventually entered court-led rehabilitation proceedings in March last year. MBK Partners has been accused of allegedly selling a large-scale short-term bond of Homeplus around the time of the credit downgrade for the retailer. On Feb. 28 last year, Korea Ratings downgraded its credit rating of Homeplus to "A3 minus" from "A3." Four days later, Homeplus asked a court to grant rehabilita

Jan 7, 2026By Yonhap
Prosecutors request arrest warrant for chairman of MBK Partners over Homeplus

Seoul High Court to hold meeting of judges next week on dedicated benches for insurrection cases

The Seoul High Court said Wednesday it will convene a meeting of judges next week to discuss forming special benches to handle insurrection cases stemming from former President Yoon Suk Yeol's failed attempt to impose martial law in 2024. The move comes after the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK)-controlled National Assembly passed a bill last month to set up two panels each at the Seoul Central District Court and the Seoul High Court to hear cases involving insurrection, treason and rebellion charges. The DPK has argued for the special benches, citing perceived delays and unfairness in the trials of those implicated in martial law cases. The legislation came into force Tuesday. The appellate court said the meeting will take place next Thursday to create guidelines for the special benches, such as requirements for judges to be assigned to the panels. Yoon and multiple former officials are currently standing trial on charges of insurrection over their roles in the ousted president's declaration of martial law on Dec. 3, 2024. The ongoing cases will continue to be handled by their cur

Jan 7, 2026By Yonhap
Seoul High Court to hold meeting of judges next week on dedicated benches for insurrection cases
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