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Sex offenders watch porn in prisons

By Jung Min-hoSex offenders in prisons freely watch and share sexually explicit videos, including child porn, according to reports by SBS.Speaking to the local broadcaster, a prisoner at the Gyeongbuk Correctional Institution said there are dozens of memory cards containing such content, as well as adult comic books, in the facility.The prisoner said many inmates use electronic dictionaries with a video playback function to watch such material.The prisoner said he repeatedly raised the issue with prison officials but they did nothing to address it.The problem is not unique to that facility. SBS reported that former prisoners said they also had access to such content while serving time in other facilities.The Ministry of Justice said prisoners are legally allowed to have adult content unless it was illegal (such as child porn). It said it will investigate whether any violations of the laws occurred in prisons and find ways to resolve the issue through a law revision if necessary. 

Aug 22, 2017
Sex offenders watch porn in prisons

Mexican diplomat sent back to Korea for sexual harassment probe

By Chyung Eun-juMexico has sent a diplomat back to Korea for a police investigation of alleged sexual harassment on a Korean employee.The diplomat had previously tried to dodge an investigation, claiming immunity.“The involved officer is in Korea with the willingness to cooperate with local authorities toward resolution of the case,” the Mexican Embassy said in a press statement Monday.“Mexican authorities will monitor the situation closely in coordination with their Korean counterparts.”On July 27, a female Korean-Paraguayan employee at the embassy filed a suit against the diplomat claiming he intentionally touched her thighs and buttocks several times.                After the suit was filed, Jongno Police Station requested the diplomat’s presence on Aug. 3. The diplomat said he would comply.But he did not attend and left for Mexico on Aug. 4.On Aug. 10, Korea’s foreign affairs ministry sent an official request for the Mexican embassy’s cooperation,  highlighting Mexico’s obligation to foll

Aug 22, 2017
Mexican diplomat sent back to Korea for sexual harassment probe

Pastor gets four years' jail for molesting children

By Chyung Eun-ju, Park Si-sooA pastor has been jailed for four years for molesting two female children attending his wife’s child center.He was also ordered to attend an 80-hour anti-sexual-crime education course, according to Busan District Court, Monday.The court said the pastor groped the children multiple times between 2011 and 2012. He sexually harassed them in his room at the center, in the library or in a van, according to court documents.“As a pastor and the husband of the manager of the child center, he should be someone who protects children from sexual harassment,” the ruling statement said.”The children are suffering from sexual humiliation and emotional distress.”

Aug 21, 2017
Pastor gets four years' jail for molesting children

Prosecution to focus on 'whitelist' probe

By Jung Min-hoProsecutors will look closer into an “artist whitelist” scandal, in which certain artists allegedly received special treatment from former President Park Geun-hye.On Friday, Yang Suk-jo, who previously led the “artist blacklist” probe under special counsel Park Young-Soo, was assigned to investigate artists who enjoyed special benefits, including generous government subsidies, thanks allegedly to their conservative political biases.Yang is now forming a team and is expected to begin the investigation soon.In March, the special counsel concluded that the Park government gave 6.8 billion won ($6 million) to some civic groups between early 2014 and late 2016 through the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI), a major business lobby group.But, while dealing with so many corruption cases involving the former president, the special counsel could not complete the investigation into the whitelist. But he said he has already confirmed that aides of the former president asked the FKI to sponsor certain groups with a specified amount of money.The prosecution

Aug 21, 2017
Prosecution to focus on 'whitelist' probe

Police raid animal medicine shop accused of selling banned pesticide to chicken farms

Police on Monday raided an animal medicine shop accused of illegally manufacturing a pesticide and selling the banned chemical to chicken and egg farms, amid a public outrage over contaminated eggs.Police seized two boxloads of computer hard disks and security camera recordings at the store in Pocheon, north of Seoul. The shop, whose name was withheld, allegedly imported 50 kilograms of fipronil from China and diluted it with 400 liters of water before selling the product to five chicken and egg farms.Police have already booked its owner for investigation without physical detention."We're going to determine the direction of our investigation after looking into what we've seized," a police official said. "The firm's chief cooperated with the raid without resistance and made no particular remarks."As of Saturday, the agriculture ministry's inspection results showed 49 farms had used illegal insecticides, and some 624.51 million eggs are produced and distributed annually from these farms. The government has decided to recall and destroy all affected egg products. (Yonhap)

Aug 21, 2017

Four killed in explosion at STX shipyard

Rescue workers investigate the cause of an explosion at the STX Offshore and Shipbuilding’s shipyard in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, Sunday. / YonhapBy Jung Min-hoFour workers were killed in a major explosion at a shipyard in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, Sunday.According to firefighters, the accident occurred at 11:37 a.m. inside a 74,000-ton oil-tanker, which was under construction at STX Offshore and Shipbuilding’s shipyard, killing workers of the company’s subcontractors.Firefighters are now looking into the cause of the explosion.The victims ― aged 33, 45, 52 and 53 years old ― were painting inside a 12-meter-deep tank in the vessel at the time of the accident.“I heard a bang and immediately turned my head. And then I saw smoke coming out of the ship,” said a worker surnamed Woo, who was working 20 meters away. “The smoke kept coming out for about 20 to 30 minutes.”After receiving an emergency call, the Changwon Fire Station deployed rescue workers, who pulled out the bodies from the tank at around 1:30 p.m. and trans

Aug 20, 2017
Four killed in explosion at STX shipyard

Foreigners' crimes jump 80% from 2012

 By Chyung Eun-ju, Park Si-sooThe number of foreigners charged with crimes here has jumped by 80 percent over the past four years, police data showed on Sunday.Nearly 43,700 foreigners were caught last year for involvement in crimes. This was a 79.5 percent hike from 24,300 caught in 2012, according to data released by Rep. Yun Jae-ok of the opposition Liberty Korea Party. The data did not’ show how many were found guilty.Five major crimes -- rape, sexual harassment, murder, theft and violence -- by foreigners have also increased. Of the five, rape and sexual assault showed the biggest increase of 81 percent, followed by theft (up 79.9 percent), murder (22.9 percent) and violence (20.1 percent).Jeju Island was the most prone to crimes by foreigners, with the number of foreigners caught on the resort island soaring 295.7 percent. Daejeon was second with a 186.9 percent hike, followed by North Gyeongsang Province with 114.8 percent, Ulsan by 110.5 percent, Gyeonggi Province with 108.2 percent and North Chungcheong Province with 105.5 percent.By state of origin, Thailand had

Aug 20, 2017
Foreigners' crimes jump 80% from 2012

Man kills woman after failed sexual assault

By Chyung Eun-ju, Park Si-sooPolice have arrested a man in his 30s for killing a woman in her 70s after failing to rape her.According to police, the man broke into the woman’s house in Shinan-gun, South Jeolla Province, at 2 p.m. on Tuesday.He tried to rape her, but when she resisted and screamed, the man pushed a towel across her mouth, which led to her death, police said. A neighbor found the woman’s body at 1 p.m. on Friday.Police arrested the man on Saturday after receiving information from the victim’s neighbors. The man reportedly admitted what he had done. 

Aug 20, 2017
Man kills woman after failed sexual assault

Powerful explosion at STX shipyard; four killed

A police van moves into STX Offshore and Shipbuilding’s shipyard in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, Sunday. Four workers were killed in a powerful explosion there on Sunday. / YonhapBy Chyung Eun-ju, Park Si-sooFour people were killed in a powerful explosion at a shipyard in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, Sunday. They were among eight painters working inside a 74,000-ton oil tanker being built at STX Offshore and Shipbuilding’s shipyard. The remaining four painters ware safe.The explosion happened at 11:37 a.m. when the workers in their 30s to 50s were painting inside a 12-meter-deep oil tanker. Authorities are looking into the cause of the explosion.The vessel is reportedly scheduled to be delivered to a Greek shipping company in October.TO BE UPDATEDRescue workers inspect the explosion site of an oil tanker under construction at STX Offshore and Shipbuilding’s shipyard in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, Sunday. / Courtesy of Changwon Fire Service Headquarters

Aug 20, 2017
Powerful explosion at STX shipyard; four killed

'Arab Spring' instigator wins refugee status in S. Korea

By Lee Kyung-minAn administrative court granted refugee status to a Jordanian man who participated in a pro-democracy movement, recognizing that he is feared to be politically persecuted in his home country, which was still ruled by the “undemocratic, authoritarian” forces he had sought to topple.Many Arab nations saw massive social protests that removed some authoritarian leaders during the “Arab Spring” that began in Tunisia in 2010.  The Seoul Administrative Court found in favor of the Jordanian, whose identity is being withheld, reversing a ruling by the Seoul Immigration Service that refused to recognize his claim, citing a lack of basis for his claimed fear of persecution.   Granting refugee status, the court cited the anti-government messages he posted on social media accounts. The court also cited YouTube footage and news stories in which he was identified as a protest leader. His statement was consistent, the court added.The court said international bodies retained reports and records about persecution of anti-government activists

Aug 20, 2017
'Arab Spring' instigator wins refugee status in S. Korea
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