The courts in Seoul and Incheon on Thursday issued arrest warrants for three incumbent lawmakers, who have been on suspicion of taking kickbacks, to take them into custody.The three are the ruling Saenuri Party’s Reps. Jo Hyun-yong and Park Sang-eun and the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy’s Rep. Kim Jae-yun.The Incheon District Court cited fears that Park, 65, may flee or destroy evidence after holding the warrant hearing earlier in the day to review the documents proposed by

Social Affairs Aug. 21, 2014

The prosecution on Tuesday asked the courts in Incheon and Seoul to issue arrest warrants for four lawmakers, suspected of taking kickbacks, to take them into custody.They are Rep. Park Sang-eun of the ruling Saenuri Party and Reps. Shin Gye-ryoon, Kim Jae-yun and Shin Hak-yong of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy.Park, the second-term governing party lawmaker, is under suspicion of taking illicit funds from either candidates who attempted to run in the June 4 local electio

Social Affairs Aug. 19, 2014

Yang Hoi-jeong, the former regular chauffeur of the deceased Yoo Byung-eun, surrendered to the prosecution Tuesday.His surrender came a day after his wife Yoo Hee-ja, 52, and Yoo Byung-eun’s former female aide Kim Myung-sook, 59, turned themselves in to law enforcement authorities.Yang Hoi-jeong (center) (Yonhap)Yang, 55, had been hiding out in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province, according to the Incheon District Prosecutors’ Office.The prosecution has clarified its stance that it would probe Yang and t

Social Affairs July 29, 2014

An Incheon court on Monday issued arrest warrants for Yoo Dae-kyoon, the oldest son of the late billionaire Yoo Byung-eun, and Park Soo-kyung, a female aide of Dae-kyoon.The Incheon District Court held the warrant hearing to review documents proposed by the prosecution and approved the issuance, citing fears that the junior Yoo, 44, and Park, 34, may flee or destroy evidence.Police chief Lee Seong-han presides over a meeting of senior police officials on Monday. (Yonhap)The court also endorsed t

Social Affairs July 28, 2014

Kim Myung-sook (left), one of the aides of the deceased Yoo Byung-eun, gave up herself to the prosecution on Monday. (Yonhap)Two female followers of the deceased Yoo Byung-eun gave up themselves up to law enforcement authorities on Monday.According to the Incheon District Prosecutors’ Office, the two aides are Kim Myung-sook, in her 50s, and Yoo Hee-ja, the wife of the sunken ferry owner’s chauffeur Yang Hoi-jeong.The three figures -- Kim, Yoo and Yang -- have been suspected of masterminding the

National July 28, 2014

The police said that investigators arrested Yoo Dae-kyoon, the eldest son of ferry tycoon Yoo Byung-eun, at a residence in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, at around 7 p.m. on Friday.In addition, Park Soo-kyung, who was staying with Yoo Dae-kyoon, has also been captured. Park is a daughter of Shin Myung-hee, who was a female confidante of Yoo Byung-eun.Park had allegedly been accompanying Dae-kyoon during his escape. Her mother Shin Myung-hee is known to be a key leader of the Salvation Sect, which wa

National July 25, 2014

The National Forensic Service said Friday that a three-day autopsy has not determined the cause of death of fugitive Yoo Byung-eun, the owner of the sunken ferry Sewol.The state forensic agency said the autopsy failed due to the body’s state of heavy decay. The NFS only confirmed that the corpse, which was found on June 12 by a farmer, was that of the 73-year-old Yoo.National Forensic Service chief Seo Joong-seok announces the result of its autopsy on the dead body of Yoo Byung-eun in Seoul on F

Social Affairs July 25, 2014

The police confirmed Tuesday that a dead body, found by a farmer in a city in South Jeolla Province on June 12, is that of Yoo Byung-eun, owner of the capsized ferry Sewol.Investigators identified the body through fingerprint comparison and DNA samples, Suncheon Police Station chief Woo Hyung-ho told a news briefing.(Yonhap)Woo said the fingerprints match those of the 73-year-old fugitive and DNA samples approximately match those of his older brother, Byung-il. The older Yoo had been taken into

National July 22, 2014