my timesThe Korea Times
South Korea

Law & Crime

Special prosecutors to summon ex-President Yoon again for questioning Tuesday

A special counsel team said Sunday it has again notified former President Yoon Suk Yeol to appear for a second round of questioning on Tuesday over insurrection charges related to his Dec. 3 martial law declaration. Yoon has been summoned to appear 9 a.m. Tuesday, after undergoing a marathon interrogation session over the weekend. Earlier in the day, Yoon's legal team requested that the originally proposed Monday appearance be postponed, citing the former president's health condition and the need for sufficient time to prepare for his ongoing trials. "(Scheduling coordination) does not amount to an agreement," the prosecution said, adding that the decision rests with the investigative authority. After a 15-hour session, Yoon left the Seoul High Prosecutors Office in southern Seoul early Sunday, following questioning over allegations that he ordered the Presidential Security Service to block his arrest when investigators attempted to execute a warrant in January. The special counsel team has notified Yoon to appear for questioning again on Monday. It plans to summon him for questioning ind

Jun 29, 2025By Yonhap
Special prosecutors to summon ex-President Yoon again for questioning Tuesday

Doctor arrested over termination of pregnancy at 9 months

A doctor has been arrested and charged with murder after the termination of a pregnancy at nine months last year, underscoring persistent legal uncertainties as lawmakers continue to struggle with abortion regulation. Judge Park Jeong-ho at the Seoul Central District Court issued arrest warrants on Saturday for the surgeon, identified only by his last name Shim, and the clinic’s head, surnamed Yoon, over their alleged roles in the death of a baby believed to have been born alive and then left to die through willful neglect. This arrest follows an initial October 2024 court rejection of detention requests for the doctors. In the intervening months, investigators conducted extensive searches of the clinic’s electronic devices and the mobile phones of key suspects to gather additional evidence. Speaking to reporters last year, the investigators said they secured evidence suggesting the baby was alive “before and after” the abortion procedure. They also found that hundreds of other pregnant women had undergone abortion procedures at the same clinic. The case gained widespread attenti

Jun 29, 2025By Jung Min-ho
Doctor arrested over termination of pregnancy at 9 months

Yoon requests change in special counsel questioning schedule set for Monday

Lawyers representing former President Yoon Suk Yeol on Sunday requested a schedule change for his next summons by the special counsel team, which has been investigating insurrection charges tied to his Dec. 3 declaration of martial law. The special counsel had notified Yoon to appear for a second round of questioning on Monday, just a day after a marathon session held over the weekend. "It is an extremely tight schedule that does not take into account the suspect's health and his right to prepare for ongoing trials," Yoon's legal team said in a statement. "We submitted a written request to the special counsel this afternoon, seeking to reschedule the appearance." After a 15-hour session, Yoon left the Seoul High Prosecutors Office in southern Seoul early Sunday, following questioning over allegations that he ordered the Presidential Security Service to block his arrest when investigators attempted to execute a warrant in January. The special counsel team has notified Yoon to appear for questioning again on Monday. It plans to summon him for questioning indefinitely until it wraps up the

Jun 29, 2025By Yonhap
Yoon requests change in special counsel questioning schedule set for Monday

Why South Korea’s mandatory military service still haunts this former pop star

Singer Steve Yoo (Yoo Seung-jun) continues his years-long legal battle to enter South Korea, but recent developments suggest his efforts remain far from resolution. On Thursday, the Seoul Administrative Court held the second hearing of two ongoing cases filed by Yoo: one challenging the Los Angeles Consulate General’s refusal to issue him a visa, and another seeking confirmation that there is no legal basis for the justice minister’s ban on his entry into Korea. Yoo’s legal team argued that a previous Supreme Court ruling should have lifted the entry ban and deemed the visa refusal unlawful. “Despite the Supreme Court judgment, the LA Consulate insists that it cannot issue a visa because the justice minister’s entry ban still stands,” the team said in court. The attorneys also referenced similar cases, including that of footballer Suk Hyun-jun, to argue that there is no legal reason to deny Yoo a visa. They claimed the decision violates the principle of proportionality and equality, and insisted that forced legal compliance may be necessary to ensure justice. In response, the

Jun 28, 2025By Xportsnews
Why South Korea’s mandatory military service still haunts this former pop star

Nearly 90% of Koreans believe nation no longer drug-free

A majority of Koreans no longer see their country as a “drug-free nation” and view drug abuse as an escalating public health crisis, according to a new nationwide survey. In a poll released Friday by the research firm Southern Post, 88 percent of respondents said drug abuse is a serious problem, while 87 percent said Korea can no longer be considered free of drugs. The survey, based on responses from 1,000 adults, reflects a shift in public perception: More Koreans now see drug addiction as a medical condition rather than solely a criminal issue. More than 92 percent of respondents said addiction requires medical treatment and 72 percent backed the use of public funds to support recovery programs. When asked how they felt about rising drug use among youth, most said they felt sadness, anxiety or anger. Nearly 60 percent said it is easy to obtain drugs today, citing access through social media and the dark web. Over 43 percent called for stronger investigations into online drug sales, while others supported tighter control of medical narcotics and border security. The Supreme Prosecut

Jun 27, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin
Nearly 90% of Koreans believe nation no longer drug-free

Prosecutors demand 12-year term for key suspect in Seongnam development scandal

Prosecutors on Friday demanded a 12-year prison term for land developer Kim Man-bae, a key figure in the so-called "Daejang-dong development scandal" that occurred in Seongnam, just south of Seoul, a decade ago, during a court hearing. Prosecutors also requested seven-year imprisonment and a fine of 1.7 billion won ($1.25 million) for Yoo Dong-gyu, another key figure who served as acting president of Seongnam Development Corp., during the hearing at the Seoul Central District Court. The prosecution also asked the court to impose a forfeit of 611.2 billion won on Kim and a forfeit of 850 million won on Yoo. The scandal centers on the allegations that a small number of unheard-of private asset management companies, including Hwacheon Daeyu owned by Kim, were allowed to reap astronomical investment profits from the real estate development project in Seongnam's Daejang-dong district in 2015, when President Lee Jae Myung was the city's mayor. Kim and other developers were indicted for causing a loss of 489.5 billion won to Seongnam Development Corp. Lee separately stood trial on charges of inf

Jun 27, 2025By Yonhap
Prosecutors demand 12-year term for key suspect in Seongnam development scandal

Man in 40s caught driving drunk drinks more to dodge test

A man in his 40s has been booked for attempting to obstruct a DUI investigation by deliberately drinking more alcohol after being stopped, in the first case reported under Korea’s newly enforced "Kim Ho-joong law," police said Thursday. According to the Gumi Police Station in North Gyeongsang Province, the incident occurred around 3:35 a.m. on Sunday, when the suspect, identified only as B, was spotted driving under the influence in the city’s Hyeonggok-dong area. Before police arrived at the scene, he bought and consumed additional alcohol to interfere with an upcoming breathalyzer test. The man later admitted during questioning that he had intentionally consumed more alcohol in order to obscure the results of the DUI test. The tactic, known in Korean as “alcohol stacking,” involves drinking more alcohol after an accident to make it impossible to determine one’s blood alcohol level at the time of the accident. The practice gained notoriety following singer Kim Ho-joong’s hit-and-run case last year, prompting the government to amend the law. Under the revised Road Traffic Act,

Jun 27, 2025By Hankookilbo
Man in 40s caught driving drunk drinks more to dodge test

Ex-President Yoon to appear at special counsel's office Saturday

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol's lawyers said Friday that he will appear at Special Prosecutor Cho Eun-suk's office at 10 a.m. Saturday to be questioned about charges related to the Dec. 3 martial law imposition, even if his request for private appearance is not accepted. Earlier this week, Cho's team demanded that Yoon appear in public at its office in the Seoul High Prosecutors Office in southern Seoul at 9 a.m. Saturday to be questioned as a suspect after a court rejected its detention warrant request for him. But Yoon's lawyers have requested that his appearance at the special counsel's office not be made public and be delayed about an hour to around 10 a.m. Specifically, they demanded that Yoon enter the office through its underground parking lot. Cho's office has rejected Yoon's request, saying it can be seen as preferential treatment. "Even if there is no agreement regarding the method of appearance, there is no change in Yoon's decision to appear (at the special counsel's office) tomorrow," a lawyer for Yoon told Yonhap News Agency by phone. "We'll go there tomorrow and discuss

Jun 27, 2025By Yonhap
Ex-President Yoon to appear at special counsel's office Saturday

Male-only sleep facility in Gangnam revealed as drug den

A group of drug users, distributors and business operators have been arrested for distributing and using methamphetamine at a male-only sleeping room facility in Seoul’s Gangnam District, police said Thursday. According to Eunpyeong Police Station, eight individuals, including the facility’s owner, employees and guests, were arrested at the scene on June 14 for violating the Narcotics Control Act. An additional seven suspects, including users, smugglers and distributors who were not present at the time, have also been detained. Of the 15 arrested, seven, including the smuggler, distributor and habitual users have been formally taken into custody. The investigation began in April when police arrested a drug user and traced the supplier, uncovering a broader criminal network. Authorities found that a suspect identified as A had smuggled methamphetamine into Korea from Hong Kong on 23 separate occasions by concealing it in underwear and supplying it to local distributors. The drugs were sold via websites and mobile apps, and intelligence suggested that users gathered to take drugs and en

Jun 27, 2025By Hankookilbo
Male-only sleep facility in Gangnam revealed as drug den

K-pop trainee fined $3,600 for small tattoo, leaving dorm

A former K-pop debut team trainee has been ordered to pay their agency 5 million won ($3,600) after getting a tattoo and leaving the dorm without permission — an incident that sheds light on the strict rules governing trainee life in the K-pop industry. According to legal sources on June 23, Judge Lee Baek-gyu of the Seoul Central District Court’s Civil Division 96 ruled in favor of the agency, which had filed a damages lawsuit against the trainee, identified only as A. The agency and the trainee signed an exclusive contract in June 2018. The agreement included clauses allowing the agency to impose restrictions on behavior deemed unbecoming of a public figure, such as tattoos, dating, clubbing, drinking and smoking. It also stipulated a penalty of 30 million won for each violation of those terms. In October 2018, the trainee left the dorm without notifying the agency and received a small tattoo on the back of their neck. After being warned by the agency, the trainee reportedly experienced strained relations with peers and was eventually excluded from the band's final lineup. The trai

Jun 26, 2025By Xportsnews
K-pop trainee fined $3,600 for small tattoo, leaving dorm
previous page
9596979899
next page

Most Read in South Korea