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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.

Ex-first lady's 'butler' attends arrest warrant hearing over embezzlement

An associate of former first lady Kim Keon Hee appeared for a court hearing Friday for his arrest on charges of embezzlement as part of a special counsel probe targeting the former first lady. Kim Ye-seong, known as the "butler" of the former first lady's family, arrived at the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul nearly two hours before the hearing scheduled at 2 p.m. Kim is accused of embezzling 3.38 billion won ($2.43 million) from IMS Mobility, a company he helped establish, in 2023. The court is expected to announce its decision on whether to issue the warrant later in the day or early Saturday. A special counsel team requested the arrest warrant Thursday, two days after he was detained by investigators upon returning from Vietnam in what they believe was an attempt to flee following the ouster of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, Kim Keon Hee's husband. Kim Ye-seong is suspected of receiving 18.4 billion won in illegal investments from several companies, including Kakao Mobility Corp., for IMS Mobility. Considering that IMS Mobility was effectively in a state of capital impai

Aug 15, 2025By Yonhap
Ex-first lady's 'butler' attends arrest warrant hearing over embezzlement

Police summon lawmaker for questioning over alleged stock trading under borrowed name

Police said Thursday they have summoned independent lawmaker Lee Choon-suak to question him over allegations that he traded stocks under a borrowed name. The four-term lawmaker appeared before the Seoul Metropolitan Agency's investigation unit in western Seoul, 10 days after he was spotted trading stocks on a mobile phone registered under his aide's name inside the parliamentary plenary chamber. Lee left the ruling Democratic Party of Korea shortly after the controversy erupted. Investigators are expected to question him on whether he violated the law requiring real-name financial transactions by using his aide's identity. Lee has denied related allegations, saying he mistakenly used his aide's phone. (Yonhap)

Aug 14, 2025By Yonhap
Police summon lawmaker for questioning over alleged stock trading under borrowed name

Top court finalizes guilty verdicts over deadly 2021 building collapse in Gwangju

The Supreme Court on Thursday confirmed guilty verdicts against three construction officials over a fatal building collapse in the southwestern city of Gwangju four years ago. The five-story building collapsed during demolition work on June 9, 2021, falling onto a nearby bus and leaving nine people dead and eight others seriously injured. The court upheld a lower court's sentence of 2 1/2 years against a 51-year-old surnamed Cho, who operated an excavator at the site during the collapse, and a two-year term against a 32-year-old site manager, surnamed Kang. The court also confirmed a 1 1/2-year term, suspended for three years, against a 63-year-old site supervisor, surnamed Cha, who did not carry out an inspection of the site. All three were indicted on charges of death by occupational negligence and violating the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The court said it did not find fault with the lower court's ruling in terms of its legal rationale.

Aug 14, 2025By Yonhap
Top court finalizes guilty verdicts over deadly 2021 building collapse in Gwangju

Supreme Court approves rulings against US composer in suit over 'Baby Shark'

The Supreme Court on Thursday confirmed lower courts' rulings against an American composer in a plagiarism suit he brought against the producer of the popular Korean children's song "Baby Shark" six years ago. New York-based composer Johnny Only, whose legal name is Jonathan Wright, filed the lawsuit in Seoul in March 2019, claiming that "Baby Shark," the world-famous song released by Korean education startup SmartStudy in 2015, copied his 2011 song. SmartStudy, now renamed The Pinkfong Company, has said its song was a recreation of a traditional North American children's song that has no valid copyrights. The rhythmic two-minute song featuring a shark family and their underwater hunt for small fish has gone viral in cyberspace and on the small screen at home and abroad. Korea's district and appellate courts have rejected Only's claim, saying his song is not considered derivative work protected by copyright law, and the top court approved the rulings.

Aug 14, 2025By Yonhap
Supreme Court approves rulings against US composer in suit over 'Baby Shark'

Man who shot son to death indicted on charges of murder, attempted murder

A man accused of shooting his son to death and attempting to kill his daughter-in-law and two grandchildren was indicted Thursday on charges of murder and attempted murder, prosecutors said. The man in his 60s was arrested last month on charges of killing his son with a homemade gun during his own birthday party at the son's home in Incheon, west of Seoul, on July 20. Authorities later said he was also suspected of trying to kill his daughter-in-law, his two grandchildren and a foreign private tutor acquainted with the daughter-in-law, who were at the party. At his home in Seoul's Dobong district, police found multiple explosive devices that had been set to go off the next day. The Incheon District Prosecutors Office said it indicted the man on charges of murder, attempted murder, a violation of the firearms control law and preparations to commit arson. Prosecutors determined the suspect meticulously planned the crimes in advance, starting in August last year, by watching related YouTube videos and purchasing gun parts. As a motive for the crimes, they identified his apparent paranoia that

Aug 14, 2025By Yonhap
Man who shot son to death indicted on charges of murder, attempted murder

Ex-top security adviser Cho appears for questioning for 3rd time in Marine death probe

Former National Security Adviser Cho Tae-yong appeared before a special counsel team Wednesday for the third round of questioning over allegations of government interference in an initial probe into the death of a Marine in 2023. Cho, who underwent questioning by special counsel Lee Myeong-hyeon's team last week and late last month, told reporters that he would faithfully take part in the session without answering their questions on the allegations. The case centers on allegations the results of a military probe into the death of Cpl. Chae Su-geun in July 2023 were later changed to clear the initial suspects of responsibility. Chae died during a search mission for torrential rain victims. Then President Yoon Suk Yeol allegedly flew into a rage upon hearing the preliminary probe results that found a senior Marine commander responsible for Chae's death during a meeting of presidential aides later that month. Cho, who attended the meeting, has acknowledged Yoon's outburst during questioning. Lee's team is expected to question Cho on whether he was involved in the defense ministry's move to r

Aug 13, 2025By Yonhap
Ex-top security adviser Cho appears for questioning for 3rd time in Marine death probe

Ex-first lady Kim held in solitary cell after being arrested over corruption charges

Former first lady Kim Keon Hee was placed under custody at a solitary cell Wednesday, a prison official said, after a Seoul court issued a warrant for her arrest as special prosecutors investigate various corruption allegations against her. Being taken into custody made her and her husband, former President Yoon Suk Yeol, the first former presidential couple to be detained simultaneously. Kim was moved to Seoul Nambu Detention Center in southwestern Seoul, shortly after the Seoul Central District Court issued the warrant late Tuesday, citing concerns she could destroy evidence. At the detention center, Kim was set to receive the same entry procedures as any other detainee — a physical examination and taking mug shots in a Khaki-colored prison uniform. She was expected to be held in a solitary cell that's about 6 to 10 square meters in size with amenities, such as a locker, a foldout table, a television and a toilet. She will have to sleep on a mattress on the floor as there is no bed. If she is placed in a larger cell, there could be more amenities, such as a sink. Kim will reportedly ha

Aug 13, 2025By Yonhap
Ex-first lady Kim held in solitary cell after being arrested over corruption charges

Special counsel raids interior firm related to ex-first lady

Special counsel Min Joong-ki's team on Wednesday raided an interior company reportedly tied to former first lady Kim Keon Hee over alleged favoritism in presidential office and residence repair work three years ago. The team said in a press release that its prosecutors and investigators were conducting searches and seizures at interior design company 21 Gram and residences of its officials in connection with suspicions surrounding the repair work at the presidential facilities. It suspects that there were violations of the law, such as the participation of unqualified companies, such as 21 Gram, in the process of relocating and renovating the presidential office and residence after former President Yoon Suk Yeol took office in May 2022. 21 Gram is the company that sponsored exhibitions hosted by Covana Contents, an exhibition company run by Kim, and was in charge of designing and constructing its office. The raid comes one day after Kim was placed under arrest on various corruption charges.

Aug 13, 2025By Yonhap
Special counsel raids interior firm related to ex-first lady

Ex-first lady's 'butler' to be detained upon entry from Vietnam

An associate of former first lady Kim Keon Hee will be detained and taken away for questioning upon entry from Vietnam on Tuesday, investigators said. Kim Ye-seong, known as the "butler" of the former first lady's family, is scheduled to arrive at Incheon International Airport on a Vietnam Airlines flight from Ho Chi Minh City at 4:25 p.m. "Once the aircraft lands, we plan to detain him on the boarding bridge and use the same gate as other passengers to bring him to the special counsel's office," special counsel Min Joong-ki's team said in a notice to the press. Kim Ye-seong is suspected of receiving 18.4 billion won ($13.2 million) in illegal investments from several companies, including Kakao Mobility, for IMS Mobility, a company he helped establish, in 2023. Considering that IMS Mobility was effectively in a state of capital impairment at the time of the investments, the special prosecutors suspect the companies invested in IMS Mobility in consideration of its connection to Kim and the former first lady. Kim Ye-seong left South Korea for Vietnam in April in what investigators believe w

Aug 12, 2025By Yonhap
Ex-first lady's 'butler' to be detained upon entry from Vietnam

Court orders gov't to compensate late lieutenant colonel in 1979 military coup

A Seoul court on Tuesday ruled in favor of the bereaved family of a late lieutenant colonel seeking compensation from the government over his death caused by rebelling forces during a military coup in 1979. Late Lt. Col. Kim Oh-rang was killed in a gunfight while defending his commander against mutineers during the coup led by then Maj. Gen. Chun Doo-hwan on Dec. 12, 1979. Chun, who died in 2021, seized power in the 1979 coup and became president the next year. The Seoul Central District Court ordered the government to compensate the plaintiffs, including his sister and nine other family members, about 300 million won ($216,000) in total, lower than the 500 million won they had sought. Kim's death was initially recorded as one in the line of duty, but it was changed to killed in action in 2022 by a presidential commission on military deaths. Under military law, service members are defined as being killed in action if they die due to engagement with the enemy or while preventing disturbances to public peace, such as a rebellion. Kim was the inspiration for actor Jung Hae-in's character in t

Aug 12, 2025By Yonhap
Court orders gov't to compensate late lieutenant colonel in 1979 military coup
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