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Police to request arrest warrant for 2 sailors over ferry grounding accident

Police investigating the grounding accident of a ferry off the southwestern coast earlier this week said Friday they will request an arrest warrant for the ship's first mate and helmsman on charges of causing injury by gross negligence. The first mate, in his 40s, and the helmsman, an Indonesian national in his 40s, were apprehended Thursday after the 26,546-ton Queen Jenuvia II carrying 246 passengers and 21 crew members ran aground at an uninhabited islet off the coast of Sinan, South Jeolla Province, the previous night. The two are accused of causing the grounding accident by not properly steering the ferry while doing something else outside of work, according to the Mokpo Coast Guard in charge of the probe. The first mate, suspected of looking at his phone at the time of the accident, was supposed to change course about 1,600 meters away from the accident site but failed to do so, the Coast Guard said. The helmsman tasked with directly operating the key or manually changing the automatic navigation device, reportedly stated he was looking at the gyrocompass inside the wheelhouse. The

Nov 21, 2025By Yonhap
Police to request arrest warrant for 2 sailors over ferry grounding accident

Ex-President Yoon, 11 others indicted over alleged interference in Marine death case: special counsel

The special counsel investigating the 2023 death of a Marine said Friday it has indicted former President Yoon Suk Yeol on charges of exerting undue pressure on the military's investigation into the case, with 11 other former senior security and defense officials also indicted. Yoon has been questioned by the special counsel over suspicions that he ordered the presidential office and the defense ministry to reverse the initial findings of a military investigation into the death of Cpl. Chae Su-geun, in order to relieve a then Marine commander of responsibility. The latest indictment is an addition to other indictments brought against the ousted former leader over his brief imposition of martial law on Dec. 3. Yoon will stand trial on charges of abuse of power and tampering with official documents. This indictment comes without physical detention, but Yoon has already been placed under arrest on martial law-related charges. The special counsel also indicted 11 others, including former spy chief Cho Tae-yong and former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup, for their alleged involvement in Chae's c

Nov 21, 2025By Yonhap
Ex-President Yoon, 11 others indicted over alleged interference in Marine death case: special counsel

New chief of Seoul central prosecutors office stresses organizational stability

A senior prosecutor at the center of a controversial appeal withdrawal case began his new duty as the head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office on Friday, saying he will do his best to stabilize the prosecutorial organization. "I feel a heavy burden as I take on this important responsibility at a time when restoring public trust in the prosecution and boosting the morale of its members are urgent," said Park Cheol-woo, who was appointed to one of the most influential prosecution posts in a reshuffle carried out on Wednesday. Park's appointment triggered a controversy as he was reportedly involved in the prosecution's decision not to appeal a ruling on the so-called Daejang-dong corruption case while serving as the head of the Supreme Prosecutors Office's anticorruption department. The reshuffle came after Jung Jin-woo resigned as the chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office two weeks ago in protest of the decision not to appeal the Daejang-dong ruling. Park was also questioned by reporters about the Daejang-dong case, which allegedly involved President Lee Jae

Nov 21, 2025By Yonhap
New chief of Seoul central prosecutors office stresses organizational stability

Lee approves final extension of special counsel probe into ex-first lady

President Lee Jae Myung approved Wednesday a 30-day extension of an ongoing special counsel investigation into allegations surrounding former first lady Kim Keon Hee, his office said. A team, led by special counsel Min Joong-ki, has been conducting an investigation into corruption and other charges involving Kim, including her alleged involvement in a stock manipulation scheme and meddling in candidate nominations for elections. Min's team had extended its investigation twice after commencing its 90-day probe on July 2. Under the special counsel law, the investigation can be extended up to three times, and the third and final extension will allow the probe to run through Dec. 14. The special counsel requested a 30-day extension of the investigation and the president gave his approval after reviewing the matter, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a notice to the press. "We expect the special counsel to continue conducting a fair and objective investigation in accordance with the law and principles," she added.

Nov 19, 2025By Yonhap
Lee approves final extension of special counsel probe into ex-first lady

Son Heung-min attends trial of woman accused of blackmailing him with pregnancy claim

Korean football star Son Heung-min on Wednesday attended the trial of a woman accused of blackmailing him with pregnancy claims The trial for the 20-something woman, surnamed Yang, was held at the Seoul Central District Court on charges of blackmail and attempted blackmail. Son of Los Angeles Football Club appeared as a witness at the trial, which was closed to the public. Yang is accused of extorting 300 million won ($205,000) from Son in June last year after sending him an ultrasound image of a baby and threatening to reveal she was pregnant with his child. The woman was found to have approached Son after a different man she targeted first showed no response to her blackmail. Later, between March and May this year, Yang and her then boyfriend, surnamed Yong, allegedly attempted to extort another 70 million won from Son by threatening to tell his family and the press about her claimed pregnancy and subsequent abortion.

Nov 19, 2025By Yonhap
Son Heung-min attends trial of woman accused of blackmailing him with pregnancy claim

Migrant worker loses lawsuit after claiming police coerced him into undercover operation

A migrant worker who was recognized by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) as a victim of human rights violations has lost his lawsuit seeking damages from the state over his compelled involvement in an undercover police investigation. According to legal sources, Tuesday, Judge Kwon Ju-yeon of the Seoul Central District Court ruled against a Bangladeshi national, identified as A, who had filed a compensation claim against the state. The court had attempted mediation last December, but after both parties rejected the proposal, the case proceeded to a single hearing before a ruling was issued. A first encountered police officer B at a migrant worker center event in March 2023. B initially concealed his identity but later disclosed his occupation and maintained contact with A. As investigations into illegal foreign currency traders progressed, B asked A for help, noting that A spoke the same language as suspected offenders. A’s involvement consisted of depositing cash given to him by B into accounts linked to an alleged illegal money exchanger. B also issued multiple ins

Nov 19, 2025By Hankookilbo
Migrant worker loses lawsuit after claiming police coerced him into undercover operation

Police raid KT offices over alleged evidence concealment

Police on Wednesday raided two offices of KT, the country's second-largest mobile carrier, over the company's alleged concealment of evidence related to a hacking incident earlier this year. Investigators from Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police executed search and seizure warrants at the offices in Pangyo, Seongnam, and Bangbae in southern Seoul. The raids come after the science ministry referred the company to the police over suspicions it shut down servers in the wake of a reported cyberattack on its site for remote customer inspections. Police have reportedly booked the company's head of data security on suspicions of obstruction of justice.

Nov 19, 2025By Yonhap
Police raid KT offices over alleged evidence concealment

Ex-first lady's brother attends arrest warrant hearing over alleged evasion of development fees

The elder brother of former first lady Kim Keon Hee attended a court hearing Wednesday on whether to issue a warrant to arrest him over his alleged evasion of development fees for an apartment construction project a decade ago. Kim Jin-woo appeared at the Seoul Central District Court after special counsel Min Joong-ki's team filed for a warrant to arrest him on charges of causing losses to state coffers, embezzlement and destruction of evidence. Kim and his mother, Choi Eun-soon, are accused of falsifying documents for the 350-unit apartment project in Yangpyeong, east of Seoul, conducted from 2011 to 2016, to underreport their profits and reduce the development fees they owed. The mother and son led the developer, ESI&D, in turns. In addition, Kim is accused of hiding various expensive items his sister, the former first lady, allegedly received as bribes at his family's home. The special counsel team earlier decided to investigate Choi without physical detention in consideration of her level of involvement in the alleged crimes and her relationship to Kim. Both suspects were questioned by

Nov 19, 2025By Yonhap
Ex-first lady's brother attends arrest warrant hearing over alleged evasion of development fees

Robber in his 30s arrested for breaking into home of singer-actress Nana

Police have arrested a man in his 30s for breaking into the home of singer-actress Nana in an attempted robbery, during which she and her mother overpowered him and turned him over to police, officials said Monday. The suspect, armed with a weapon, broke into the home of Nana, a former member of the girl group After School, in Guri, east of Seoul, early last Saturday and wounded her and her mother while demanding money. The daughter and mother fought him off and overpowered him before calling for police help, with both sustaining injuries during the standoff. The Guri Police Station said Monday that the man has been arrested after a district court issued an arrest the previous day on charges of aggravated robbery and inflicting injuries. According to police investigations, the suspect used a ladder he had prepared to climb up to the unlocked veranda of Nana's home and inflicted injuries on her mother, including by strangling her. During the standoff, the suspect also sustained a laceration to his chin and received treatment at a hospital. Police said the suspect randomly chose Nana's home

Nov 17, 2025By Yonhap
Robber in his 30s arrested for breaking into home of singer-actress Nana

Appellate court upholds suspended prison terms for Taiwanese duo over US military aircraft filming

An appellate court sentenced two Taiwanese nationals to suspended prison terms Monday for illegally filming U.S. military aircraft during an air show in May. The Suwon District Court upheld a lower court ruling of 1 1/2 years in prison, suspended by three years, for the two suspects, each in their 40s and 60s. "The photos taken by the defendants were all confiscated, making it unlikely they will be leaked externally," the bench said in its ruling. "Since their apprehension in May, they have been held in custody for some time ... likely giving them sufficient time to reflect on their wrongdoing." The Taiwanese nationals were indicted on charges of attending an air show at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, on May 10, without authorization, and illegally taking around a dozen photos of U.S. military aircraft and facilities. The U.S. military had banned citizens of certain nations, including China and Taiwan, from attending the show.

Nov 17, 2025By Yonhap
Appellate court upholds suspended prison terms for Taiwanese duo over US military aircraft filming
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