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CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.

Special counsel team raids election watchdog in probe into ballot shortages

A special counsel team on Thursday raided the national election watchdog and other local election commissions as part of its probe into shortages of ballots during the June 3 local elections. It marked the first raid by special counsel Lee Tae-han's team after its launch on Sept. 7 to investigate the shortages that sparked major public outcry after some voters were forced to turn back without casting their votes. Lee's team sent investigators to nine locations, including the National Election Commission (NEC) based in Gwacheon, just south of Seoul, and the local election commissions of Gyeonggi Province, Incheon, Busan and Daegu. Investigators seek to seize internal records in connection with the ballot shortages. During the elections, the shortages led to voting disruptions at some polling stations in Gyeonggi that surrounds the capital, the western city of Incheon, and the southeastern cities of Busan and Daegu. The special counsel team is tasked with investigating the election watchdog's management of ballot papers and suspected tampering of voter turnout data during the local election

Sep 17, 2026By Yonhap
Special counsel team raids election watchdog in probe into ballot shortages

3 civilians get suspended prison terms for flying drones into N. Korea

A court on Wednesday handed down suspended prison terms to three civilians for flying drones into North Korea without permission while acquitting them of charges related to aiding the enemy. The Seoul Central District Court sentenced a graduate student in his 30s, surnamed Oh, to an eight-month prison term suspended for two years and two others to prison terms of six months, also suspended for two years, on charges of violating the Aviation Safety Act. The three were indicted on charges of sending drones across the inter-Korean border four times between last September and January to film North Korea. Two of the drones failed to return and crashed in North Korea, prompting Pyongyang to release statements criticizing Seoul after analyzing the recovered wreckage, flight logs and video footage. The court found them guilty of operating drones exceeding 2 kilograms in weight, the threshold for mandatory prior reporting to the land ministry, without taking the required step. Drones made and operated by research institutes for testing or research purposes are exempt from the mandatory reporting

Sep 16, 2026By Yonhap
3 civilians get suspended prison terms for flying drones into N. Korea

Ex-President Yoon acquitted of perjury in appellate trial

An appellate court on Wednesday acquitted former President Yoon Suk Yeol of committing perjury during the insurrection trial of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. The Seoul High Court ruled that Yoon did not appear to have given false testimony during the November trial when he claimed to have intended to convene a Cabinet meeting before he declared martial law on Dec. 3, 2024. The ruling is consistent with a lower court's acquittal in May. "It is difficult to believe that the defendant, given his status and experience, did not know a declaration of martial law should be preceded by deliberations at a Cabinet meeting," the appellate court said. "In fact, he likely tried to meet the minimum requirements for declaring martial law." Special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team had indicted the former president on charges of perjury, saying he had initially called only six Cabinet members to his office but later changed his mind at Han's suggestion to meet the quorum for a full Cabinet meeting. The team had requested a 10 million-won ($7,332) fine for Yoon. The appellate court sided with the former pre

Sep 16, 2026By Yonhap
Ex-President Yoon acquitted of perjury in appellate trial

Chinese teen booked in Jeju for eavesdropping on air traffic control

JEJU — A Chinese teenager has been booked on suspicion of using a private transceiver to illegally eavesdrop on air traffic control at an airport on the southern island of Jeju, local police said Tuesday. The suspect allegedly used a radio to secretly listen to tower-aircraft communications for 90 minutes on Aug. 27 from the observation deck of Jeju International Airport, a Class A national security facility, according to the Jeju Provincial Police Agency. Police apprehended the teenage boy at the scene after a visitor grew suspicious and notified authorities. An investigation showed the teenager arrived from China on the day of the incident with the radio, which is reportedly sold on a Chinese website for about 43,000 won ($32). The teenager was also found to have previously entered Korea multiple times unaccompanied. His camera contained numerous photos of at least two military facilities in Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds Seoul. Police said they have placed a travel ban on the suspect and that they are looking into his motives, and any possible link between the eavesdropping and f

Sep 15, 2026By Yonhap
Chinese teen booked in Jeju for eavesdropping on air traffic control

New investigation agency chief nominee supports criminal justice system reform

The nominee to lead the planned Serious Crimes Investigation Agency said Monday he supports the ongoing reform to the criminal justice system, refuting criticism that he previously opposed such efforts. Kim Ji-yong, a former prosecutor tapped as the new agency's inaugural head, made the remarks as some lawmakers have raised questions about his past remarks in opposition of efforts to reform the prosecution. "I am deeply reflecting on the fact that the prosecution service that I was a part of has lost the public's trust and faces dismantling," he told reporters. "(I) actively relate to the key principle of the criminal justice reform of separating investigations and indictments." Some members of the ruling Democratic Party and the minor opposition Rebuilding Korea Party have criticized Kim's nomination, saying he had opposed calls to strip the prosecution's investigative powers while serving as a prosecutor. Kim said he had voiced the need to maintain the prosecution's powers for supplementary investigation at the time out of concerns for victims rather than to defend the prosecution. Kim'

Sep 14, 2026By Yonhap
New investigation agency chief nominee supports criminal justice system reform

Arrest warrants sought for 8 petrochemical executives over alleged price fixing

Prosecutors on Monday requested arrest warrants for eight current and former executives of domestic petrochemical companies suspected of engaging in price fixing involving several trillion won. The eight include Kim Yoo-shin, chief executive officer (CEO) of OCI, and Jang Young-soo, former CEO of PKC, according to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office. Prosecutors suspect that seven companies — LG Chem, Hanwha Solutions, Aekyung Chemical, OCI, Lotte Fine Chemical, PKC and Unid — colluded for several years to raise prices for eight petrochemical products, including PVC, plasticizers, caustic soda and hydrochloric acid. The companies are suspected of making illicit profits totaling several trillions of won by taking advantage of supply disruptions in naphtha caused by the Middle East conflict. Prosecutors conducted simultaneous raids on the companies on Aug. 5, and subsequently questioned Kim and Jang as suspects on Thursday. PVC, primarily made from naphtha, is a synthetic plastic widely used in construction materials, pipes and wire insulation, while plasticizers are chemical

Sep 14, 2026By Yonhap
Arrest warrants sought for 8 petrochemical executives over alleged price fixing

Acting police chief reaffirms efforts for investigative reform

Korea's acting police chief on Monday reaffirmed efforts for investigative reform, including possibly increasing the number of investigators, in the wake of high-profile cases of police's alleged misconduct. The police last week launched a dedicated body to spearhead sweeping organizational reforms, following the recent revision to the Criminal Procedure Act that will transfer all investigative power to police from the prosecution. The move, however, also comes amid recent scrutiny over the cases of alleged misconduct, including an improperly closed missing person case on the southern island of Jeju. "There were faults made (at the scene) and also the problem of the system that failed to identify them, as well as the leadership's responsibility, which (I) take seriously and will correct," Kim Jong-chul, acting head of the National Police Agency, said in a briefing. The missing person case on Jeju sparked public outcry after a police officer was found to have closed the case without confirming the safety of a missing woman. Her body was found last month, about three months after she was f

Sep 14, 2026By Yonhap
Acting police chief reaffirms efforts for investigative reform

Tax agency to probe 41 businesses for causing consumer price instability

Korea's tax agency said Monday it has launched probes into 41 businesses for allegedly engaging in unfair practices and contributing to consumer price instability, as the government seeks to curb inflation ahead of the Chuseok holiday. The National Tax Service (NTS) said the move came after it detected cases in which businesses inflated production costs and ultimately passed the burden on to consumers. The investigation covers 23 agricultural product retailers, including 11 egg producers suspected of underreporting tens of billions of won in profits. The NTS said it has also launched probes into 12 grain, fruit and meat retailers, including businesses that received tariff quota benefits but allegedly inflated expenses and underreported sales. The agency added that it detected suspected cost manipulation and irregular accounting practices at 16 food franchises as well. The NTS said Korea's largest food delivery platform, Baedal Minjok, or Baemin, also avoided around 100 billion won ($74.3 million) in taxes through complex capital transactions with its German parent company involving around

Sep 14, 2026By Yonhap
Tax agency to probe 41 businesses for causing consumer price instability

Ex-commander acquitted of military secrets leak ahead of martial law

Moon Sang-ho, former head of the Defense Intelligence Command (DIC), was acquitted by a court Friday of leaking military secrets to Noh Sang-won, his predecessor as DIC chief, ahead of former President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law in 2024. The Seoul Central District Court issued the ruling after finding Moon not guilty of leaking military secrets to Noh. Moon was indicted for leaking information about classified military missions and directives issued by then Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun to Noh on Dec. 2, 2024, just one day before Yoon declared martial law. Investigators found that Moon made remarks such as "special forces, mission and equipment," "I report to you about our missions (due to request from Kim)" and "(Kim) told us to get ready" during a phone call with Noh. But the court said there was insufficient evidence to conclude that Moon's remarks provided Noh with information beyond what the latter already knew. Separately, Moon was sentenced to a two-year prison term in June for colluding with Kim to provide Noh with the personal details of about 40 DIC agents, who

Sep 11, 2026By Yonhap
Ex-commander acquitted of military secrets leak ahead of martial law

Families of motel attack victims accuse police officer of dereliction of duty

The families of two teenagers killed by a knife-wielding man at a motel in Changwon last year have filed a complaint against the police officer in charge and others for failing to fulfill their duties, their legal representative said Friday. The families filed a complaint with the Changwon District Prosecutors Office on Thursday alleging that the officer in charge arrived too late to the scene and failed to take adequate action despite having received relevant reports earlier that day, according to law firm Taejin. The two victims were killed in December by the suspect in his 20s, who jumped to his death at the site of the crime in the city located some 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul after also seriously injuring another middle school student. The law firm said the complaint also targets nine other individuals, including a probation officer. The deceased suspect was on probation following his conviction in 2021 for rape but was found to have not stayed at the address he had registered with the probation officer, which should have raised alarms before the fatal incident took place. Als

Sep 11, 2026By Yonhap
Families of motel attack victims accuse police officer of dereliction of duty
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