my timesThe Korea Times
South KoreaLaw & Crime

Law & Crime

Explosion raises calls for strict rules on volatile materials

By Kim Se-jeong An explosion on a five-ton truck carrying inflammable lubricants on a highway near Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, Thursday, raised calls for setting up a control system on trucks transporting volatile materials and their drivers.Thursday’s incident killed three, including the driver, and injured five others.The incident began as the truck collided with the median divider. The truck burst into flames due to its inflammable cargo and drums began falling off the truck, crossing the median strip and hitting cars in other lanes. Nine vehicles on the other side of the road caught fire. Speaking with Joongang Ilbo, one of the nine other drivers said, “I heard the explosion, but it was so fast that drums of lubricant bounced off the median strip to hit my car.” On Friday, 20 inspectors visited the site of the incident to examine the initial cause of the accident. More than 100 drums on the truck contained lubricants and police suspected their weight amounted to more than 5 tons. The driver was 76 years old.Critics argue Korea needs a system through whi

Nov 3, 2017

Two former presidential secretaries arrested over bribery

 Lee Jae-man and Ahn Bong-geun / Korea Times fileTwo former secretaries of ousted President Park Geun-hye were formally arrested early Friday on bribery and other charges.The Seoul Central District Court issued the arrest warrants for Ahn Bong-geun and Lee Jae-man, acknowledging the probable cause for arrests and the possibility of them destroying evidence.They are accused of taking at least 4 billion won ($3.58 million) from National Intelligence Service (NIS) officials from 2013 until July last year. The investigation has found that the money came from the spy agency's expenses.Prosecutors have charged them with taking bribes and causing loss of state funds. They were detained for questioning on Tuesday.Ahn was a private secretary to the president from 2013-2015 and communications secretary for state affairs until 2016. Lee served as the secretary for general affairs from 2013-2016.Prosecutors believe the NIS officials delivered about 100 million won in cash every month. Ahn is accused of taking at least additional 10 million won.They are also suspected of buying an apart

Nov 3, 2017
Two former presidential secretaries arrested over bribery

Sexual assaults at Pusan National University Hospital to be investigated

By Lee Kyung-min The National Human Rights Council (NHRC) will investigate Pusan National University Hospital (PNUP), where a professor assaulted 11 medical residents over the past two years, it said Thursday.A subcommittee under the human rights watchdog said it will question the suspect and other witnesses. “We decided to conduct an investigation, as the alleged victims are believed to be in a position where they cannot disobey their mentor,” it said.“We also considered the suspected abuser attempted to downplay the gravity of the case and told the victims not to raise the issue further.”The decision was prompted by allegations the professor specializing in surgery asked victims and their parents to file a petition not to punish him.According to police in Busan, 10 out of 11 victims filed a petition, Tuesday, asking for leniency for the professor, a notable change in stance given all their earlier statements were consistent in demanding harsh punishment for him. The victims first reported the assaults to the school in August and demanded he be dismissed imme

Nov 2, 2017

2 ex-presidential aides face arrest

Ahn Bong-geun, left, and Lee Jae-man enter the courtroom to review the validity of the warrants at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul, Thursday. / YonhapBy Jung Min-hoThe prosecution has requested arrest warrants for two former presidential secretaries over allegations they received bribes from the National Intelligence Service (NIS) while Park Geun-hye was president.Ahn Bong-geun and Lee Jae-man ― known as Park’s closest aides ― attended a court hearing Thursday to review the validity of the warrants. The decision is expected to come out early Friday morning.The prosecution is detaining them for allegedly taking 1 billion won ($900,000) from the spy agency every year between 2013 and 2016 while working at Cheong Wa Dae.They admitted to receiving money but refused to reveal the details.The prosecution is expected to expand the investigation to Park, who already faces many charges including bribery and abuse of power. Lee told the prosecution he accepted money from the NIS whenever Park ordered him to do so.The presidential office is suspected of giving some

Nov 2, 2017
2 ex-presidential aides face arrest

Some defectors moving to form North Korean government-in-exile

 Graphic by Cho Sang-wonBy Kang Hyun-kyungAbout a year ago, So Jae-pyung, managing director of the North Korean Defectors’ Association in Seoul, received a letter from a U.S.-based group asking for So and his organization to join hands to form a North Korean government in exile.In the soliciting letter, the senders introduced themselves as a group of activists striving to end dictatorship in North Korea and prepare for the Post-Kim Jong-un Era in case contingency occurs there.So said he ignored their request. “There was no information about who they were, except their email address,” he said. “No phone numbers or names of the group or any staff working there were available. They wrote they decided not to disclose their identities because they were performing such a secret mission.”So, a North Korean defector, said he was not convinced by what they said. “I don’t understand why they chose to remain anonymous. If they were really doing what they said, they had no good reason to hide their identities,” he said. “We didn’t

Nov 2, 2017
Some defectors moving to form North Korean government-in-exile

PHOTOS Oil truck explodes, killing 4

Burned vehicles and debris are scattered on the road leading to the Changwon Tunnel Thursday. A five-ton oil truck exploded near the tunnel, killing four people. / YonhapBy Park Si-sooAn oil truck has exploded near a tunnel in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, killing three people and injuring five. Nine vehicles caught fire after the explosion at 1:23 p.m. Thursday, police said.Witnesses told police the five-ton truck crashed into a guardrail at the entrance to Changwon Tunnel and exploded.The truck was carrying 70 drums of motor oil. After the crash, 35 drums fell onto cars in the opposite lane and burst into flames. Nine other cars were gutted in the flames.Both sides of the road leading to the tunnel are closed. An investigation is under way to find the explosion's cause.Police obtained witness statements that the truck zigzaged before slamming into the median barrier. That suggests potential mechanical defects in the vehicle, such as brake failure. 

Nov 2, 2017
Oil truck explodes, killing 4 [PHOTOS]

Prosecution seeks 10 year prison term for Lotte Group founder

By Kim Se-jeongProsecutors in Seoul requested 10 years in prison and 300 billion won ($269 million) in fines for Lotte Group founder Shin Kyuk-ho who is on trial for corruption.At the Seoul Central District Court, the prosecution made its case against the 95-year-old founder. “Although he is old and ill, we can’t let him off the hook because his crime is grave and it illegally benefited his family.”Shin was present in a wheelchair.Lotte is one of Korea’s largest conglomerates, with a wide range of businesses from retail to construction, food and entertainment.Shin was indicted last year on charges of embezzling 50.9 billion won of company, to benefit his family members. He is also suspected of business irregularities that benefited his partner, Seo Mi-kyung, who owns snack bars at Lotte Cinema, a movie theater chain.His two sons were in fight in recent years over control of the group.     

Nov 1, 2017

Cause of actor's death yet to be confirmed

By Kim Se-jeong Mystery continued Wednesday over the cause of a car accident that killed actor Kim Joo-hyuck on Monday in southern Seoul.He drove a Mercedes SUV when it sideswiped a Grandeur sedan at 4:30 p.m., crashed into a wall in an I-Park apartment complex, rolled down some steps and flipped over. He was taken to a nearby hospital but died two hours later.Police continued their investigation Wednesday, reviewing black box footage and speaking with relatives and acquaintances.On Tuesday, the National Forensic Service said a skull fracture was the cause of death but is conducting additional tests to confirm it.According to the black box footage, he sideswiped the Grandeur sedan once, then suddenly sped up toward the apartment complex, going off the road and crashing.Speaking with the police, the Grandeur driver testified the actor seemed to be having major chest pains when he collided with his vehicle, with his chest leaning toward the steering wheel.His friends and relatives dismissed the possibility of a heart attack, saying he was generally in good shape, not even drinking

Nov 1, 2017

30 caught for 'exporting' lost, stolen smartphones to China, Vietnam

By Rha Hae-sung, Park Si-sooPolice caught 30 people suspected of having smuggled out nearly 200 lost or stolen smartphones. Four were detained over the possible risk of destroying evidence, according to Geumjeong Police Station in Busan.Police said the suspects “exported” 170 lost or stolen smartphones to China and Vietnam from September 2016 to October this year. They earned nearly 130 million won ($110,000) as each phone sold for 300,000-500,000 won ($269-$448).The phones included those they stole or bought from taxi drivers who pocketed passengers’ devices. 

Nov 1, 2017
30 caught for 'exporting' lost, stolen smartphones to China, Vietnam

Man indicted for raping, killing 14-year-old

Park Sung-jin, a senior prosecutor, speaks to reporters at the Seoul Northern District Prosecutors’ Office in Seoul, Wednesday. / YonhapBy Jung Min-hoLee Young-hak, who was arrested last month for allegedly killing a 14-year-old girl, has been indicted on murder and rape charges, the prosecution said Wednesday.The Seoul Northern District Prosecutors’ Office said the 35-year-old was indicted on charges of raping the daughter of a friend of his while she was asleep and strangling her to death, among other charges.If he is found guilty, he could be sentenced to life in prison.According to the prosecution, his deviant sexual desires, including pedophilia, sadism and voyeurism, were a big part of his criminal motive.Lee lured the girl to his house in Seoul by using his daughter, who left after giving the victim a drink that had powdered sleeping pills in it.While his daughter was away, Lee raped and sexually assaulted the victim with sex toys.When she woke up, he strangled her to death with a tie and a towel, and with his daughter, buried her body on a hill in Yeongwol, Gangwo

Nov 1, 2017
Man indicted for raping, killing 14-year-old
previous page
547548549550551
next page

Most Read in South Korea