South Korea - The Korea Times

Homes of key DAS officials searched

By Lee Kyung-min The prosecution searched the homes of key officials at the scandal-ridden company DAS, through which former President Lee Myung-bak allegedly managed a 12 billion won (11 million) slush fund. This “investment” was returned in full unlike those of 5,500 others who lost a combined 100 billion won in a stock manipulation scandal in 2001.This was part of a widening investigation into Lee over allegations that after taking office in 2013 he abused his presidency and mobilized multiple government agencies to have the money returned in what could have been a failed investment a few years ago. He may be questioned as early as next month or in March after the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. Investigators searched the homes of four high-ranking DAS officials including Shin Hak-su, who served as a presidential secretary for general affairs as well as a civil affairs official under the Lee administration, to confiscate documents containing financial records and details on decision-making processes, as well as personal belongings. Shin, who began working as the

Jan 21, 2018

Search for crew after suspected Chinese fishing boat capsizes in West Sea

Rescue workers stand on the capsized boat off Baengnyeong Island on Saturday. / YonhapBy Kang Aa-youngThe Incheon Coast Guard has been searching for more than 14 hours for missing crewmen of what is believed to be a wooden fishing boat that capsized near Baengnyeong Island near the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the West Sea.It is not known how many were on board and whether the crew was fishing illegally in Korean waters. The boat was found in an area overfished by illegal Chinese crab-catching boats. Most of the 12-meter boat was under water with only the bottom of the hull above water. The Coast Guard was having difficulty identifying the vessel because of bad weather."Considering the design, it is a Chinese fishing boat," a Coast Guard spokesman said.Wooden boats are rarely used for coastal fishing in South Korea.The ROK Second Fleet learned the boat was in trouble at 11:59 p.m. Saturday, and informed the Coast Guard.

Jan 21, 2018

Search for crew after suspected Chinese fishing boat capsizes in West Sea

Professor under investigation over sexual harassment

By Park Si-soo A community college professor is being investigated for alleged sexual harassment against female staff members, police said Sunday. Gumi Police Station said three women filed a complaint early this month, claiming the professor made “inappropriate” physical contact several times between 2006 and 2016. The school’s audit team recently interrogated the women and then asked school authorities to sack the professor. Police said they would summon the professor soon. According to reports, the professor, 55, has worked at the collage for nearly 20 years, during which he was once chairman of an intramural anti-sexual crime committee.

Jan 21, 2018

Professor under investigation over sexual harassment

Homeplus to compensate customers for selling personal data

Homeplus / YonhapBy Jung Min-hoRetail chain Homeplus has been ordered to pay customers 80 million won ($75,000) in damages for selling their personal information to insurance companies without their consent.The Seoul Central District Court ruled Thursday that Homeplus must pay 83,650,000 won to 519 people, who sued the company in 2015 for selling information such as their names, phone numbers and bank accounts to life insurance companies.Each plaintiff will receive between 50,000 and 300,000 won compensation.The court also ordered the two insurance companies ― Shinhan Life Insurance and Lina Life Insurance Korea ― to bear some of the payouts (11.2 million won for Shinhan and 4.8 million won for Lina).Homeplus obtained the information by holding promotional giveaways, in which customers had to provide personal data to receive prizes.The company claimed it could not accept liability because Homeplus gave prior notice on the back of coupons about how such information might be used. But because the text was so small ― only about one-millimeter ― the court rejecte

Jan 19, 2018

Homeplus to compensate customers for selling personal data

Ex-President Lee denounces corruption probe as 'political retaliation'

Former President Lee Myung-bak speaks out on a corruption investigation against him and his aides at his office in Samseong-dong, southern Seoul, Wednesday. / YonhapBy Kim RahnFormer President Lee Myung-bak called the prosecution’s ongoing investigation into his alleged corruption “political retaliation” by the Moon Jae-in administration, Wednesday.He said the ruling bloc should hold him accountable for things that took place during his term instead of seeking to arrest and punish officials who served under him.Lee’s remarks came a day after an aide, former senior presidential secretary for administrative affairs Kim Paik-joon, was arrested for allegedly receiving more than 400 million won ($375,000) from the National Intelligence Service (NIS) between 2008 and 2012. He was in charge of Cheong Wa Dae’s financial affairs, and has managed Lee’s personal wealth for nearly 40 years, often being called Lee’s “butler.”Another former presidential secretary, Kim Jin-mo, was also arrested for taking 50 million won from the NIS and using it

Jan 17, 2018

Ex-President Lee denounces corruption probe as 'political retaliation'

Police catch Thai woman as suspect in housemate murder case

By Park Si-soo Police have caught a Thai woman in Busan for allegedly killing her housemate. The woman, 44, is suspected of stabbing her Thai housemate to death in a fit of anger at a flat in Busan on Jan. 12, according to police. The two are said to have been at odds and the crime happened when they were bickering about cooking smoke. The victim was 30 and further details were not available immediately. Police caught the suspect at Gimhae International Airport on Tuesday. They said she tried to flee the country, not knowing she had been banned from leaving. An investigation is under way to find the reason for the killing. Police are seeking an arrest warrant for her.

Jan 17, 2018

Police catch Thai woman as suspect in housemate murder case

Footprints in snow lead police to theft suspect

The footprints the suspected thief accidently left in snow piled up on the roof of the victim’s hardware store in Gwangju. / YonhapBy Kang Aa-young, Park Si-sooFootprints in the snow have led police to a suspected thief. According to police, a hardware store owner in Gwangju discovered last Thursday that 20 million won ($18,800) she put under a floor mat had vanished. She broke down because the money was to be used for her son’s overseas study. The crime was carried out so meticulously that investigators were unable to find any visible hint of the thief, despite a thorough search. In the process, they came across some footprints in the snow piled up on the roof of the store and confirmed they were the thief’s. Police traced the thief based on the size, pattern and other details of the footprints and caught a suspect, surnamed Seo, 39, at a motel in Gwangju. Police reportedly recovered 15 million won from Seo. They recently sought an arrest warrant for the man.

Jan 17, 2018

Footprints in snow lead police to theft suspect

Ex-presidential aide arrested

By Oh Young-jin Kim Paik-joon, a key aide of former President Lee Myung-bak, was arrested Wednesday for allegedly receiving more than 400 million won ($375,000) from the National Intelligence Service.Kim Jin-mo, Lee’s presidential secretary for civil affairs from 2009-2011, was arrested on a similar charge.The arrests are the result of ongoing investigations into the two previous conservative governments, led by Lee and his successor Park Geun-hye, for using NIS funds for personal and other inappropriate purposes. At the time, Kim worked as senior secretary for administrative affairs to Lee between 2008 and 2012. Investigators are apparently looking into whether the former president is involved in the illicit use of NIS funds.

Jan 17, 2018

Ex-President Lee denounces corruption probe as 'political retaliation'

Hyosung Group chief quizzed over slush fund allegations

Hyosung Group Chairman Cho Hyun-joon appeared at prosecutors' office for questioning Wednesday about suspicions that he siphoned off company money to create a slush fund and engaged in other irregularities."I am sorry for causing trouble with a family problem. I will be sincere during the questioning," Cho told reporters after arriving at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, referring to the fact that the allegations against him grew out of a feud with his brothers over control of Korea's 25th largest conglomerate.Cho is accused of creating a slush fund worth about 10 billion won ($9.42 million) from 2010-2015 by having Hyosung purchase construction materials through a paper company established by one of his close aides.Investigators are also looking into suspicions that Cho had Hyosung provide tens of billions of won to an ailing affiliate in which he has a stake, embezzled company money through trading art works, and created a slush fund overseas in the form of sending billions of won to a paper consulting firm in Hong Kong.He is also suspected of putting four women, inc

Jan 17, 2018

Hyosung Group chief quizzed over slush fund allegations

Actress found dead after 'drug party': police

By Kang Aa-young, Park Si-sooPolice are investigating the death of an actress in Seoul on Saturday, which they believe was caused by an overdose of an illegal drug or its side effects. Gangnam Police Station has questioned seven people -- four men and three women in their 20s and 30s -- who were said to be with the actress when she suddenly collapsed and lost consciousness at a flat in Gangnam, southern Seoul, about 7 p.m.The witnesses told police the actress showed symptoms of suffocation and soon stopped breathing. They confessed that the incident happened when they were taking drugs, police said. Further details were not known.“There were no signs of foul play on her body,” an investigator said. “So the investigation is focused on the link between her death and drug consumption.”

Jan 16, 2018

Law & Crime

Law & Crime

Homes of key DAS officials searched

Search for crew after suspected Chinese fishing boat capsizes in West Sea

Professor under investigation over sexual harassment

Homeplus to compensate customers for selling personal data

Ex-President Lee denounces corruption probe as 'political retaliation'

Police catch Thai woman as suspect in housemate murder case

Footprints in snow lead police to theft suspect

Ex-presidential aide arrested

Hyosung Group chief quizzed over slush fund allegations

Actress found dead after 'drug party': police

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