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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.

Presidential secretary under probe

Prosecution signals ‘boundless’ corruption probeBy Lee Kyung-minThe prosecution searched a sports organization, formerly headed by presidential secretary for political affairs Jun Byung-hun, over a corruption allegation, Tuesday.This is considered a move to disprove the opposition party’s claimed “political retaliation” against two former conservative administrations.Investigators of the Seoul Central Prosecutors’ Office searched Korea e-Sports Association in Mapo, Seoul, and the home of a person surnamed Yoon, the former assistant to Jun.Prosecutors executed court-issued arrest warrants for Yoon and two others. They are suspected of pocketing part of the 300 million won ($270,000) Lotte Homeshopping donated to the association in 2015. They are also suspected of embezzling the association’s funds and receiving gift certificates from the business group.The prosecution is looking into whether Jun pocketed part of the donations in return for any favors.Jun first came under suspicion for his alleged involvement in the creation and management of t

Nov 7, 2017

Illegal abortion pills sweep South Korea

Mifegyne is sold at South Korean online retailers, including Mifegyne Korea / Courtesy of Mifegyne KoreaBy Rha Hae-sungDespite laws banning medical or surgical abortion, the illegal trade in abortion pills has been steadily growing in South Korea. Law enforcement agencies have been cracking down on black markets, but the trafficking continues.Korean online drug stores for abortion pills can be accessed within a few clicks on foreign search engines like Google. Most web pages selling the pills avoid specifying side effects while underscoring the advantages of medical abortion.“Mifegyne is a package of medical abortion pills that doesn’t entail extreme pain and thus anesthetics,” an online store for abortion pill Mifegyne says in its product description. “By simply taking a pill, you can avoid the side effects that derive from surgical abortions. It is cheaper and safer compared to the surgical processes.”The drug-selling sites also have reviews that trumpet the pills’ benefits and safety. But the reviews’ credibility is lim

Nov 7, 2017
Illegal abortion pills sweep South Korea
  • 168,000 vs 500,000: credibility of abortion stats in doubt

Game addict arrested for baby formula fraud

By Rha Hae-sungSeoul police arrested a woman Monday for allegedly swindling milk powder consumers out of tens of millions of won to use for online games to which she was addicted.The woman, in her 30s, surnamed Ahn, allegedly advertised infant milk formula online at half the average retail price on South Korean resale website Jungonara. A total of 174 people paid 42 million won ($37,000) for the product, which they never received.The woman spent the money partly on buying virtual coins used in the games.Ahn allegedly enticed some people into making an extra purchase by sending only a sample as the first purchase. She also fabricated invoice numbers for delivery and sent them to buyers via text messages.Seoul Guro police said Ahn spent the money to repay 20 million won ($18,000) in loans, for living expenses and playing games in internet cafes.Ahn said in her statement, “Overspending habits and game addiction drew me into the crime.”A police official recommended that online shoppers use the Cybercop application to check whether any complaints had been made about the seller

Nov 6, 2017

Chief justice steps up judicial reform drive

 Investigation into ‘blacklist of judges’ grantedBy Lee Kyung-minKim Meong-suSupreme Court Chief Justice Kim Meong-su will review a set of recommendations from a group of judges on reforming the judiciary. The conservative institution is reeling from a controversy that the Office of Court Administration (OCA) under the Supreme Court allegedly created “blacklist of judges” seeking to control and suppress liberal voices within the judiciary.An earlier investigation led by a former top court justice concluded there was no such list without even looking into the computer at the OCA, in which password-protected files containing the list were allegedly stored.Judges recommended by both the OCA and a group of more than 100 liberal judges who have demanded the top court clarify the allegation will establish a reform committee as early as this week.The committee plans to come up with detailed measures before February next year, when courts nationwide conduct a regular reshuffle of about 3,000 judges and 15,000 judicial employees.This came only days after Kim allow

Nov 6, 2017
Chief justice steps up judicial reform drive

Ex-MBC head questioned over alleged media control

By Lee Kyung-minThe prosecution questioned Kim Jae-chul, a former head of MBC, Monday, over his suspected involvement in a government-led scheme to control the public broadcaster under the Lee Myung-bak administration. The former journalist who headed MBC from 2010 to 2013 allegedly received a document from a National Intelligence Service official and carried out Lee’s orders to shut down documentaries and popular programs produced or hosted by figures critical of the conservative administration.He is also alleged to have posted employees in remote rural areas including journalists and news producers for producing and airing content critical of the government.He said on his way into the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office that he had never met with any spies.“MBC is not an organization that can be controlled, nor can anyone control it. I put my life on the line saying this. I want prosecutors to thoroughly question me.”MBC, during his term, shut down its signature social commentary program called “PD Notebook,” followed by dismissal and

Nov 6, 2017

Scandal-hit prosecutor jumps to death

By Park Si-sooByun Chang-hoonA senior prosecutor embroiled in an illegal election meddling scandal jumped to his death, police said Monday.Byun Chang-hoon jumped from the fourth floor of an office building in Seocho-dong, Seoul, at around 2:30 p.m. He was taken to a nearby hospital and declared dead at around 4 p.m.The prosecutor was due to attend a hearing at the Seoul Central District Court at 3 p.m. over allegations that he had interrupted an investigation into the state spy agency’s allegedly illegal meddling in the 2013 presidential election.Byun was one of the senior prosecutors suspected of having instructed, destroyed or manipulated evidence of the meddling.  A former senior official of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) was arrested last month for his alleged connection with the election meddling scandal.Choo Myeong-ho, then chief of the NIS domestic intelligence unit, is suspected of directing a string of operations to keep under surveillance and disadvantage high-profile figures and celebrities critical of the Lee Myung-bak government.Former President Lee w

Nov 6, 2017
Scandal-hit prosecutor jumps to death

Ex-MBC chief quizzed over alleged role in past government's scheme to control TV network

Former chief of television broadcaster MBC Kim Jae-chul, center, answers journalists' questions as he visits the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, for questioning, Monday, on charges of helping a previous government seize control of the broadcaster. Posters behind Kim read "Arrest Kim Jae-chul." / YonhapProsecutors questioned a former chief of MBC on Monday on suspicions that he helped a previous conservative administration to seize control of the public broadcaster by weeding out staff and entertainers critical of the government.Kim Jae-chul, who headed MBC from 2010-2013, appeared at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office at around 9:40 a.m.He is accused of excluding MBC producers and celebrities who were considered unfriendly to the Lee Myung-bak government from TV programs. He has denied any wrongdoing."I swear on my life and tell you that MBC is not a company that can be controlled. No one can hold control over it," he told reporters. "And I have never heard of or received any documents from NIS officials."Prosecutors suspect that he carried

Nov 6, 2017
Ex-MBC chief quizzed over alleged role in past government's scheme to control TV network

Family vacation invitation turns into blackmail

Suseo police bring in two men who allegedly kidnapped a man and then extorted 150 million won from his family. / YonhapBy Rha Hae-sungPolice are seeking an arrest warrant for a man who allegedly kidnapped a friend of his daughter with an accomplice and extorted 150 million won ($13 million) from the victim’s family. According to Suseo Police Station, the suspect, identified by his surname Baek, 40, with the help of Seo, 38, abducted his daughter’s friend under the pretext of a family vacation and took 30 million won as ransom to spare the victim’s life.Baek allegedly told the victim’s family that he and Seo had planned a trip to Bali and Jakarta and suggested that their son join them.After Seo flew to Indonesia with the victim, Baek asked for ransom money in exchange of the victim’s safety. He had the family wire the money to his wife’s bank account and left South Korea on Oct. 31.Police received a complaint from the victim’s family on the same day Seo fled to Indonesia. With the help of Jakarta Regional Police and other resident officer

Nov 6, 2017
Family vacation invitation turns into blackmail

Dispute rises over alleged sexual assault at Hanssem

By Kim Bo-eunControversy is growing over an alleged case of sexual assault at local furniture company Hanssem, after the alleged victim last week posted details of the case online.The points of contention are whether the case can be defined as sexual assault, whether Hanssem took adequate measures after becoming aware of the incident and whether the police and prosecution proceeded with proper investigations.In January, the female Hanssem employee in her 20s reported to police she was raped by a male colleague. She was newly recruited at the time the incident took place.The Bangbae Police Station conducted investigations but in March forwarded the case to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office offering a non-indictment opinion, citing lack of evidence. Hanssem carried out a separate internal investigation, and concluded the case by subjecting both employees to punitive measures.The male employee had initially been subject to dismissal, but the company alleviated the punitive measure to suspension after his appeal, taking into account that the police and prosecution had

Nov 5, 2017

Teen attacks girlfriend's father for opposing dating

By Bahk Eun-jiA teenager attacked his girlfriend’s father because he disapproved of their relationship, police said Sunday.The student, 18, hit the father in the head and chest with a deadly weapon on the street near his girlfriend’s apartment complex in   Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, about 9 p.m. Saturday, police said.The father, who suffered non-life-threatening injuries, is being treated in hospital. The teenager told police the father had attacked him first.The youth ran from the scene, but gave himself up to police at 10:30 p.m.Police will seek an arrest warrant.

Nov 5, 2017
Teen attacks girlfriend's father for opposing dating
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