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London holiday scam fools Korean tourists

On the left is a photo of a room at a guesthouse in Westminster, London, taken and posted by a victim of a booking scam. The victim, Jung Youn-hee, organized a group of 15 people to stay at the house. The map on the right identifies the location of the guesthouse in Westminster, London. The location was advertised by the hosts. / Courtesy of Jung Youn-heeVictims of booking fraud organize to catch proprietors   By You Soo-sun Lee Myeong-hui, 47, never thought she would be swindled in a booking scam. After making a full payment of 2.09 million won ($1,856) for accommodation in London, she was no longer able to reach her hosts. She soon discovered she wasn’t the only one ― she found 14 others scammed by the same hosts running a guesthouse in downtown London.The 15 victims claim they have been conned out of over 10 million won. They believe there are more such incidents, and expect them to increase as the hosts continue to advertise their lodgings online. The fraudsters, identified by their surnames Kim and Cho, are believed to be a Korean couple in their m

Jul 20, 2017
London holiday scam fools Korean tourists

'Show Me the Money' rapper convicted of dating violence

By Lee Han-sooIron / YonhapIron, the runner-up in season three of the popular rap show “Show Me the Money,” has received a suspended jail term for assaulting his ex-girlfriend.The Seoul Central District Court handed down an eight-month sentence, suspended for two years, to the rapper whose name is Jung Hun-chul. He was also ordered to do 80 hours of community service.“Although the accused continuously denies any wrongdoing, it has been confirmed with evidence that the accused assaulted the victim in the face in September last year,” Judge Kwon Sung-woo said in a ruling statement.Regarding the rapper’s claim that his girlfriend enjoyed being beaten because she was a “masochist,” the judge said: “It is hard to believe the defendant’s claim that the victim asked the former to assault her.”  Jung was indicted late last year for kicking and punching his ex-girlfriend, breaking one of her fingers.  

Jul 20, 2017
'Show Me the Money' rapper convicted of dating violence

Decision on broadcasting court proceedings delayed

By Lee Kyung-min   The Supreme Court delayed a decision on whether to allow live broadcasts of court proceedings, as the justices failed to agree on the particulars citing far-reaching consequences.The nation’s top court said Thursday its justices were unable to reach an agreement on whether broadcasts should be allowed at all, and, if they should, to what extent. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday.“The meeting was postponed as the justices had differing opinions. They will convene a meeting next week to further discuss the issue,” a member of the judicial circle said.Currently, taking pictures or video footage inside a courtroom for a few minutes immediately before a trial begins is allowed with the approval of the presiding judge. The judge, however, cannot allow it without the prior consent from both the defendant and the plaintiff.Supporters of live broadcasts say they help guarantee transparency of the trials and the public’s right to know.However, justices worry that allowing them might derail judicial proceedings, ending up trivializing

Jul 20, 2017

BIGBANG's T.O.P receives suspended jail term for smoking marijuana

By Lee Han-sooT.O.PT.O.P of K-pop boy band BIGBANG was given a suspended jail term on Thursday for smoking marijuana.The Seoul Central District Court sentenced the star, whose name is Choi Seung-hyun, 29, to 10 months’ jail, suspended for two years, and fined him 20 million won ($17,769).Choi was charged with smoking liquid marijuana ― in an electronic cigarette vaporizer ― with a female singer trainee, 21, at his home in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, four times in October.The Prosecutors’ Office indicted him on June 6 for breaking Korean narcotics laws after a hair sample obtained earlier this year tested positive to marijuana.“I have suffered from depression and an anxiety disorder for many years, which led to an irreversible mistake due to my wrong state of mind,” Choi said in his closing argument. “I submit to any punishment the court deems and make it my moral lesson so that it will never happen in the future and I live the rest of my life serving the community.”The court said in a ruling statement: “The fact that the defendant admits smoking marij

Jul 20, 2017
BIGBANG's T.O.P receives suspended jail term for smoking marijuana

INTERVIEW Marrying US technology with defectors' North Korea expertise

Kim Byeong-uk, a North Korean defector and president of the Seoul-based think tank North Korea Development Institute, poses at a cafe in Seoul on Tuesday after a Korea Times interview. He has been wrestling with the question on the credibility of information about the reclusive state since he returned to Seoul on Sunday after a three-week trip to the United States. / Korea Times Expert proposes solution to inaccurate information about repressive regimeBy Kang Hyun-kyungHow do we know that what we know about North Korea is true?Kim Byeong-uk, a North Korean defector and president of the Seoul-based think tank North Korea Development Institute, has been wrestling with the question on the credibility of information about the reclusive state since he returned to Seoul on Sunday from a three-week trip to the United States.During the trip organized by the U.S. Department of State, Kim and eight South Korean delegates met with think tank experts and activists working on North Korean human rights and democracy in Washington D.C. and Los Angeles, as well as with advocates helping Cuban r

Jul 20, 2017
[INTERVIEW] Marrying US technology with defectors' North Korea expertise

KAI chief steps down amid corruption probe

Korea Aerospace Industries Co., (KAI) the country's sole aircraft manufacturer, said Thursday the company's CEO will step down after prosecutors raided offices last week on allegations of corruption in major defense projects.KAI CEO Ha Sung-yong will offer to resign when the board of directors meets later in the day. And the company will arrange an extraordinary shareholders' meeting as soon as possible to select his successor, KAI said in a statement.Last Friday, prosecutors raided KAI's headquarters in Sacheon, 437 kilometers south of Seoul, and its office in Seoul to gather evidence related to allegations that the company inflated expenses for the development of military aircraft and pocketed illicit gains in the process.Ha and several KAI officials have been barred from leaving the country pending the investigation. They are expected to face questioning after the prosecution finishes analyzing the seized materials.KAI has been involved in high-profile defense projects to develop the Surion utility helicopter, T-50 Golden Eagle supersonic trainer jet and FA-50 light attack fighter

Jul 20, 2017
KAI chief steps down amid corruption probe

Time runs out for the law: Sri Lankan freed over aggravated rape

By Lee Han-sooThe Supreme Court on Tuesday acquitted a Sri Lankan man, 51, who was identified as the culprit in an aggravated rape that happened 19 years ago.The man stood trial after the prosecution re-opened its investigation of the case based on new evidence. But the man was freed because the crime exceeded the statute of limitations and because of the prosecution’s lack of evidence to support the new allegations.The case was based on an incident in Daegu on Oct. 17, 1998, when a college student, surnamed Jung, died after being hit by a 25-ton dump truck.Police put it down to a simple traffic accident.But the family insisted that police continue their investigation. This led to finding the culprit’s DNA in Jung's underwear.Based on this, the investigation proceeded, but the man was not found and the DNA samples were sent to the National Forensic Service.The case was reopened when the man was arrested for sexually assaulting another woman in 2011.His DNA matched the DNA found in Jung’s underwear 13 years earlier.The prosecution indicted him on an aggravated rape c

Jul 19, 2017
Time runs out for the law: Sri Lankan freed over aggravated rape

5 KAI subcontractors searched over corruption charges

 By Lee Kyung-min The prosecution searched five subcontractors of Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), Tuesday, as part of its ongoing investigation into defense industry corruption.Investigators from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office searched five companies offering services or supplying parts for trainer and combat aircraft, the office said. They secured accounting books, computer hard disks, documents and mobile phones of key officials.The prosecution suspects KAI received tens of millions of won in kickbacks in return for helping the companies land government contracts to manufacture parts for helicopters and other aircraft.This came four days after the prosecution searched KAI headquarters in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province, and its office in Seoul over allegations company officials manipulated accounting books by inflating the costs of parts.The prosecution is already looking into allegations KAI President and CEO Ha Sung-yong created a slush fund of 1 billion won ($890,000).Under his watch, the prosecution added, more than 1.7 billion won worth of

Jul 18, 2017

Foreign woman, Korean brokers face prostitution charges

By Chyung Eun-juA foreign woman and two Korean brokers have been indicted for violating the nation’s anti-prostitution law.The woman, whose nationality is unknown, was charged with prostitution, while the two Koreans were accused of arranging “events” with local customers. The trio was said to have run the illegal business in Samcheok, Gangwon Province.The woman, who entered the country on a tourist visa, was paid 150,000 to 170,000 won ($133-151) per “event,” according to police.Although prostitution is illegal in Korea, over 1 million women are believed to work in the industry, according to the Korean Feminist Association.

Jul 18, 2017
Foreign woman, Korean brokers face prostitution charges

Cambodian killed in SUV-motorcycle crash

By Chyung Eun-juA Cambodian was killed when a sport utility vehicle and a motorcycle collided in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, Monday night.The tragedy happened about 9 p.m. Police said an unlicensed driver was behind the wheel of the SUV that smashed into the motorcycle carrying two Cambodians. One person died at the scene and another was seriously injured, police said. Details of the victims are unknown.Investigators said the SUV driver’s license was revoked last year due to serious drunk driving.Police investigations are continuing. 

Jul 18, 2017
Cambodian killed in SUV-motorcycle crash
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