South Korea - The Korea Times

Electrical spark started fire in Jecheon

Firefighters and forensic investigators examine an eight-story building, which was destroyed by a massive fire Thursday, in Jecheon, North Chungcheong Province, Friday. The investigators suspect an electrical spark from a plumbing malfunction started the fire on the first floor and spread to more than a dozen parked vehicles. Korea Times photo by Ryu Hyo-jinBy You Soo-sunFirefighters and forensics experts are suspecting an electrical spark from a plumbing malfunction started the fire, spreading to more than a dozen parked vehicles at the first floor parking lot of a sports center in Jecheon, Chungcheong Province, Thursday. Police, along with the national fire agency and forensic service, began an inspection early Friday morning to look into the exact causes of the fire that quickly set ablaze the eight-floor building, leaving 29 dead and 20 injured. “We plan to look into the exact cause of the fire by thoroughly conducting on-site inspection and reviewing witness testimonies and video footage of the incident,” an official from the team was quoted as saying. “We will

Dec 22, 2017

Electrical spark started fire in Jecheon

Three generations of women killed in Jecheon fire

A family member of one of the victims at Jecheon Seoul Hospital morgue where the bodies are being kept. The fire left 29 people injured and 29 dead in Jecheon, North Chungcheong Province, Dec.21. / YonhapBy Bahk Eun-jiAmong 29 people who were killed in a fire that devoured a sports center building in Jecheon, North Chungcheong Province, the death of three generations of women in one family ― grandmother, surnamed Kim, 80, mother, Min, 49, and daughter, Kim, 19 ― makes the mayhem more tragic.The three went to the sports center to visit a large sauna facility, together on Thursday. Min and her 19-year-old daughter had lived in other city but visited her mother’s house in Jecheon last month after her daughter finished the college entrance exam, reports said. The fire reportedly started at 3:50 p.m. on Thursday, soon after they went into the building. The fire spread rapidly through the building and most of the victims were trapped on the second floor, according to the Chungbuk Fire Service Headquarters.Twenty bodies were found on the second floor including the three wome

Dec 22, 2017

Three generations of women killed in Jecheon fire

Electrical spark started fire in Jecheon

Impersonator scams woman of 800 million won to buy bitcoins

Virtual currency voice phishing scams are increasing. / YonhapBy Chyung Eun-juVoice phishing was used to scam 800 million won ($736,000) from a woman to buy bitcoins, according to the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) on Thursday.The woman received a call from a person impersonating a prosecutor from the Seoul District Court saying someone had opened a bank account in her name.The impersonator told the woman to send 800 million won to four accounts to keep the money safe until the investigation was over.The woman sent 500 million won to three accounts opened under a third-party name and 300 million won to a virtual account through a cryptocurrency exchange. After the money was collected, the impersonator bought 800 million won in bitcoins and then cashed them out. “Eight hundred million won is the largest scam for one person,” an FSS official said. The previous largest amount scammed was 300 million won in June.The FSS wants measures to protect consumers from cryptocurrency voice phishing as the number of victims increases.Cryptocurrency trades are now not recognized as

Dec 21, 2017

Impersonator scams woman of 800 million won to buy bitcoins

Alleged meth-dealing Japanese, Taiwanese gangsters caught in Gangnam

By Chyung Eun-juEight gang members allegedly carrying a large amount of methamphetamines were arrested near Yeoksam Station in Gangnam, Seoul, Tuesday.A Korean-Japanese surnamed Lee, 59, three other Japanese gang members, Taiwanese nationals surnamed Suh, 42, and Hwang, 47, and two others were charged with violation of narcotics laws, according to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office.Prosecutors allege Hwang smuggled 16 kilograms of methamphetamines worth 57 billion won ($52.4 million) by hiding the drugs on board a freighter on gang leader Suh’s orders in September.Suh allegedly sold eight kilograms of methamphetamines to Lee, a member of Inazawa Kai, a faction of the Japanese Yakuza organized crime syndicate. The drugs had a street value of 28.8 billion won and amounted to 290,000 doses.Four other suspects remain at large.The Taiwanese gang and the Japanese Yakuza often select Korea to deliver drugs because customs at Incheon Airport are short-staffed and checks are cursory, reports say. Prosecutors said the Taiwanese nationals were responsible for the deliver

Dec 20, 2017

Alleged meth-dealing Japanese, Taiwanese gangsters caught in Gangnam

No autopsy for SHINee's Jonghyun

By Jung Min-hoPolice will not perform autopsy on Kim Jong-hyun, a member of K-pop idol group SHINee who died Monday in an apparent suicide.“His family members do not want one,” an official at Gangnam Police Station explained, Tuesday. Police will talk to his family and friends to straighten out some facts before closing their investigation.Kim, better known by his stage name Jonghyun, was found dead at his apartment in Seoul at around 6:10 p.m. About an hour prior, police received a call from his sister, who said she had received an alarming note from him two days before via a chatting app.When police and rescue workers responded, Kim had already stopped breathing. They took him to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He was 27.His family and friends told police he had shown symptoms of depression for a long time. Police said there were no signs of murder.A private funeral will be held Thursday morning. Fans will be able to pay respects at the funeral hall of Asan Medical Center in southern Seoul.Meanwhile, the Korea Suicide Prevention Center (KSPC) advised jo

Dec 19, 2017

SR under probe for dubious hiring

By Kim Se-jeongSR CEO Lee Seung-ho /YonhapSR, one of the country’s two KTX operators, is facing a police investigation for allegedly hiring the unqualified children of its senior officials. The company is also suspected of employing children of Korail officials through the manipulation of interview scores.Korail, the state-run railway operator, has a 41 percent stake in SR, which began running the high-speed train, connecting Suseo Station in southern Seoul with the southern cities of Busan and Gwangju, in December last year.The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said Monday that 13 new employees were hired last year due to influence wielding by their parents. Eight were believed to be the children of train engineers; four, the children of officials at Korail, and one a child of the SR’s union leader. No names of the children and parents were disclosed.The police said for one of the four applicants whose parents were Korail employees, the applicant was selected despite poor performances during a written exam and an interview. The applicant beat out 68 competitors during the

Dec 18, 2017

Store owner accuses worker of theft to avoid paying her

By Chyung Eun-juA convenience store owner accused a female part-time worker of stealing 50 plastic bags, each worth 20 won (1.8 cents) or 1,000 won in all, to avoid paying her back wages. The owner of the store, in Cheongju, North Chuncheong Province, reported the “theft” to police last week. The worker claimed she took only two bags to carry products she was buying. The owner’s accusation came after he had failed to pay the worker. Police did not press charges against the worker. The store closed, with the notice, “We stopped the sale of goods due to store difficulties.”“I am relieved,” the worker was quoted as telling Yonhap News Agency. “I still haven’t been paid for my work last month and this month.”

Dec 18, 2017

Store owner accuses worker of theft to avoid paying her

Four newborn babies die in two hours at Ewha Hospital; investigation underway

Police leave the neonatal intensive care unit at Ewha Womans University Medical Center in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, Sunday morning. / YonhapBy Ko Dong-hwanThe deaths of four newborn infants on Saturday night have triggered a police investigation at Ewha Womans University Medical Center. The Seoul hospital was questioned months ago about a controversial “insect fluid” given to a baby.Four pre-term infants in incubators in the neonatal intensive care unit at the major hospital in Yangcheon-gu died between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. Before their deaths, medical staff noticed the infants were not breathing normally and that their abdomens were disproportionately swollen. Staff performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but failed to save their lives.Hospital officials told Yangcheon police that the deaths “do not seem to have originated from a contagious cause.” Investigators from Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency and officials from National Forensic Service searched the hospital on Sunday. The forensic service plans to perform autopsies on Monday.The hospital said at a press con

Dec 17, 2017

Four newborn babies die in two hours at Ewha Hospital; investigation underway

Police in desperate search for missing 5-year-old girl

A poster of Ko Joon-hee, 5, who disappeared in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, on Nov. 18. Ko is 110 centimeters tall and weighs 20 kilograms with short curly hair. Ko has single eyelids and eyes that squint. Anyone who finds her or knows of her whereabouts, call 112 or 182. / YonhapBy Bahk Eun-jiPolice are conducting a massive hunt in search of a five-year-old girl who has been missing for almost a month from Jeonju, North Jeolla Province.190 police officers are searching for the girl, Ko Joon-hee, who has a developmental disorder. She disappeared from her neighborhood in Deokjin-gu, Jeonju, near Kirin Mountain, when her grandmother left the house where they live at 12:00 p.m. on Nov. 18. The girl’s mother said she didn’t report the child’s disappearance because she thought Ko’s father had taken her. Ko’s parents are separated and the girl has lived with her mother.Ko’s mother reported her missing on December 8. So far, the police have not found any trace of the child.

Dec 16, 2017

Police in desperate search for missing 5-year-old girl

Ex-presidential aide Woo Byung-woo arrested

By Jung Min-hoWoo Byung-woo, one of the key figures behind the Choi Soon-sil scandal, has been arrested over allegations he instructed the state spy agency to monitor government officials and civilians.The Seoul Central District Court issued an arrest warrant for Woo early Friday morning. Previously, the court rejected the prosecution’s requests for an arrest warrant for him twice.Woo is suspected of directing the National Intelligence Service (NIS) to secretly keep tabs on senior government officials, including former presidential inspector Lee Seok-su and former Vice Culture Minister Park Min-kwon, and even civilians such as former Woori Bank CEO Lee Kwang-goo.Woo, who served as the presidential secretary for civil affairs from May 2014 to October 2016, did so allegedly to help then-President Park Geun-hye keep tight control over her officials and suppress her political opponents.Prosecutors also accused him of abusing his authority to hide his own illegalities. When Lee Seok-su was looking into allegations Woo helped his son get an easy and safe position with the police duri

Dec 15, 2017

Law & Crime