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Ex-justice minister appears for special counsel questioning in Marine death probe

Former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae appeared before a special counsel team Friday to be questioned about suspicions of helping a former minister leave the country to allegedly avoid investigation. Special counsel Lee Myeong-hyeon has been investigating allegations that former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup fled to Australia in March last year as he faced an investigation for allegedly interfering in a probe into the 2023 death of a Marine. Park is accused of helping Lee leave the country after the justice ministry lifted an exit ban against him, following his appointment as Korea's ambassador to Australia. When asked whether it was appropriate to lift Lee's exit ban, Park told reporters that he handled the matter normally, denying allegations that former President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered him to do so. "I will sufficiently make an explanation during questioning," Park said at the team's office. The team suspects Yoon's office made instructions about Lee's appointment as ambassador and lifted his exit ban. Lee's departure to Australia drew controversy, leading to his return later that month a

Oct 24, 2025By Yonhap
Ex-justice minister appears for special counsel questioning in Marine death probe

‘Pig-butchering’ romance scams bleed Korean men of $73 million this year

A 60-year-old man surnamed Park thought he had found both companionship and an investment opportunity when he met a woman on social media last October. After weeks of friendly exchanges, she sent him a link to a cryptocurrency trading platform, saying it would yield “high profits.” Encouraged by early returns, he gradually increased his investment from 1 million won ($730) to more than 200 million won over 2 months. Then, without warning, the site shut down and the woman disappeared from the chat. Police later told Park the case could not proceed because the suspect was overseas. It turned out that she was part of a criminal network running romance scams — fraudulent schemes in which scammers feign romantic interest to steal money. According to data released by Rep. Han Byung-do of the Democratic Party of Korea on Thursday, reports of romance scams between January and September totaled 100 billion won ($73 million), already surpassing the 68 billion won recorded from February to December last year. On a monthly basis, losses jumped from about 6 billion won to 11 billion won — an

Oct 24, 2025By Hankookilbo
‘Pig-butchering’ romance scams bleed Korean men of $73 million this year

Ex-Marine commander arrested over negligent death of Marine in 2023

A Seoul court on Friday issued an arrest warrant for a former Marine commander accused of negligently causing the death of a young Marine in 2023 during a search mission for heavy rain victims. The Seoul Central District Court approved the arrest of Lim Seong-geun, former commander of the Marine Corps 1st Division, citing concerns of destruction of evidence after a special counsel team filed for the warrant earlier this week. Lim is accused of pushing for the risky search operation without providing proper safety equipment, such as life vests, leading to Cpl. Chae Su-geun's death in a swollen stream in July 2023. It marked the first time the team, led by special counsel Lee Myeong-hyeon, took a suspect of its investigation into custody since its launch in July. The team is mandated to investigate allegations the former Yoon Suk Yeol administration interfered in an initial military probe into Chae's death in order to allegedly clear Lim of responsibility. Meanwhile, the court rejected arrest warrants sought against former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup and four others for the alleged interf

Oct 24, 2025By Yonhap
Ex-Marine commander arrested over negligent death of Marine in 2023

Lee vows all-out response to transnational crimes involving scams, drugs, gambling

President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday instructed government agencies to mobilize all resources to tackle transnational crimes, such as scams, drug trafficking and online gambling, the presidential office said. Lee made the call as he convened an interagency meeting to discuss coordinated responses with officials from the National Intelligence Service, law enforcement agencies, the ministries of foreign affairs and justice, as well as financial and customs authorities. "As seen in the recent Cambodia repatriation case, transnational crimes are destroying people's lives, and the social costs will rapidly increase if left neglected," Lee was quoted as saying. In a written briefing after the meeting, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said the government also decided to establish an integrated consultative body involving intelligence authorities and key agencies, including the foreign and justice ministries, and to launch a special unit to respond to transnational crimes. Korea has recently intensified efforts to combat crimes targeting its citizens in Southeast Asia, following reports of

Oct 23, 2025By Yonhap
Lee vows all-out response to transnational crimes involving scams, drugs, gambling

Mother accused of leaving 4-month-old in bathtub while she watched TV

A woman in her 30s has been apprehended in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, for leaving her 4-month-old son unattended in a bathtub, causing him to lose consciousness, police said Wednesday. According to Yeosu Police Station on Thursday, the woman was taken into custody the previous day on suspicion of violating the Child Welfare Act. She is accused of leaving her infant son, who cannot yet sit up on his own, alone in a baby bathtub at her home around 12:30 p.m. She told police that she “was watching television” at the time of the incident. She later found her son unconscious and called emergency services. The baby was rushed to a nearby hospital but remains unresponsive, officials said. Medical staff who treated the child alerted police after noticing bruises and other signs suggesting possible abuse. Police said the child’s father was at work when the incident occurred, and the baby had been properly registered at birth. Authorities are investigating whether additional offenses have been committed and are working to determine the full circumstances surrounding the case. This article

Oct 23, 2025By Hankookilbo
Mother accused of leaving 4-month-old in bathtub while she watched TV

Woman sent to prosecutors for trespassing into parking lot of BTS Jung Kook's home

A Korean woman accused of trespassing on the parking lot of BTS member Jung Kook's home in August has been referred to prosecutors, police said Wednesday. The woman in her 40s allegedly trespassed on the parking lot of the K-pop star's home in Seoul's Yongsan District at around 11:20 p.m. on Aug. 30, before police responded to a call and took her into custody at the scene. The Seoul Yongsan Police Station sent the case to the prosecution on charges of trespassing and violating the anti-stalking law on Oct. 14, according to police. In a separate case, the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office said it dropped charges against a Chinese woman for attempting to trespass on Jung Kook's home in June. It dropped the charges on Sept. 10, considering that the woman in her 30s stopped short of trespassing on the K-pop star's home and posed a low risk of repeating the crime as she has returned to her home country. The woman was accused of visiting Jung Kook's home in the late hours of June 11, the day he was discharged from military service, and pushing the keypad door lock multiple times. Police

Oct 22, 2025By Yonhap
Woman sent to prosecutors for trespassing into parking lot of BTS Jung Kook's home

Special counsel secures luxury gifts given to ex-first lady

Special counsel Min Joong-ki's team said Wednesday it has secured luxury gifts offered by the Unification Church to former first lady Kim Keon Hee in 2022 in exchange for requesting policy favors on church issues. Shaman Jeon Seong-bae, involved in Kim's bribery allegations, voluntarily presented a Graff necklace with a market value of 62.2 million won ($43,500), and a pair of Chanel shoes and three Chanel bags, which the first lady had received and then exchanged, through his lawyer to Min's team Tuesday afternoon, according to assistant special counsel Park Sang-jin. Park said the luxury gifts, immediately seized by the team, are identical to the valuable items that former Unification Church official surnamed Yun gave to Kim through Jeon between April and July 2022 in return for asking for policy favors on pending church issues. "We'll clarify the circumstances surrounding the delivery, return and storage of the seized items in the relevant court trials and ask for additional witnesses," Park said in a media briefing. The special counsel team has been tracking the whereabouts of the Gr

Oct 22, 2025By Yonhap
Special counsel secures luxury gifts given to ex-first lady

Gov’t to gain wider powers to probe cybersecurity breaches

The Korean government plans to expand its authority over cybersecurity investigations, enabling faster on-site inspections without requiring prior reports from companies in suspected data breach cases. It will also impose tougher penalties for delayed breach reporting and security negligence. The Office of National Security, along with related agencies including the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Personal Information Protection Commission, the National Intelligence Service and the Financial Services Commission, rolled out a set of sweeping cross-ministerial cybersecurity plans on Wednesday aimed at countering a surge in cybersecurity incidents nationwide and restoring public trust in digital security. The comprehensive initiative also includes conducting intensive security inspections on more than 1,600 major information technology systems across government, financial and telecommunications platforms. “The government will strengthen its legal authority to conduct immediate on-site investigations even without company reports when evidence of cyberattacks is found and will impose heav

Oct 22, 2025By Lee Gyu-lee
Gov’t to gain wider powers to probe cybersecurity breaches

Ex-President Yoon to not appear for questioning in Marine death case

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol will not appear this week for questioning by a special counsel team over his alleged interference in a military probe into the 2023 death of a young Marine, his lawyers said Wednesday. Yoon has been summoned by special counsel Lee Myeong-hyeon's team to appear for questioning Thursday, but he will not comply "due to the trial schedules of his lawyers this week," they said, adding they are in talks with Lee's side to reschedule the session. The former president, who has been in custody since July over his failed attempt to impose martial law in December, faces charges of abusing his power and aiding a criminal's flight in the Marine case. Investigators suspect Yoon's role in reversing the initial findings of a military probe into the death of Cpl. Chae Su-geun to clear a then Marine commander of responsibility. The former president is also suspected of helping former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup evade responsibility by appointing him ambassador to Australia in March 2024. The special counsel team earlier said it would review various alternative means of ques

Oct 22, 2025By Yonhap
Ex-President Yoon to not appear for questioning in Marine death case

Man sentenced to 10-year prison term for transferring acquaintance to criminal organization in Cambodia

A man in his 20s was sentenced to a 10-year prison term Wednesday for handing over an acquaintance to a criminal organization in Cambodia and confining him for more than 20 days. The Seoul Central District Court convicted the man, surnamed Shin, of threatening his accomplices, surnamed Park and Kim, respectively, into sending the victim to Cambodia after he refused to participate in a fraudulent scheme. "Even so, he has completely denied it, refused to cooperate in the investigation process, and complained only of being wronged during the trial without even submitting a letter of apology," the bench said. In an unusual move, the court's sentence of 10 years was longer than the nine years sought by the prosecution. It also handed down prison terms of five years and 3 1/2 years to Park and Kim, respectively. Shin and his accomplices duped the victim into boarding a flight to Cambodia by promising to cancel his debts if he brought back a contract for a tourism program they said they were planning in the Southeast Asian country. Once he arrived, the victim was taken away by a voice phishing r

Oct 22, 2025By Yonhap
Man sentenced to 10-year prison term for transferring acquaintance to criminal organization in Cambodia
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