Choo Mi-ae, former chairperson of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, was nominated new justice minister Thursday, amid a power abuse scandal involving Cheong Wa Dae. The five-term lawmaker will succeed Cho Kuk, her embattled predecessor who resigned over corruption allegations involving his family and who now faces additional power abuse allegations. “Choo was a judge known for her people-centered philosophy. As a judge and lawmaker, she has displayed strong convictions and will deliv

Politics Dec. 5, 2019

The investigation into an alleged power abuse scandal involving Cheong Wa Dae intensified Wednesday as prosecutors raided the presidential office to secure records related to the controversial suspension of an internal inspection of a senior official in late 2017. The senior official, former Busan Vice Mayor for Economic Affairs Yoo Jae-soo, was detained Nov. 27 on bribery charges. The prosecutors were handed over documents identified in the warrant as per the usual custom. By law, law enforc

Politics Dec. 4, 2019

Prosecutors on Monday raided the Seocho Police Station, which was looking into the death of an investigator found dead Sunday amid a power abuse scandal. They seized his cellphone and other belongings. The investigator worked for Baek Won-woo, a former presidential secretary who is now under suspicion of power abuse. Baek had allegedly run an independent team to instigate a probe into an incumbent Ulsan mayor running for reelection in 2018. A longtime friend of President Moon Jae-in won that e

Politics Dec. 2, 2019

“Deeply concerned,” the Washington-based Committee for Human Rights in North Korea said in a statement Nov. 7, when South Korea had deported North Koreans for the first time since the 1953 Korean War armistice. The two North Korean fishermen were suspected of fleeing to the South on a fishing boat after killing 16 of their colleagues. South Korea’s Unification Ministry cited safety concern for the public in its decision to expell the North Koreans. The government’s

North Korea Dec. 2, 2019

The Seoul Central District Court sentenced K-pop star Jung Joon-young to six years and his friend K-pop singer Choi Jong-hoon to five years in prison Friday for sex offenses. They were found guilty of gang raping women who were under the influence of alcohol. Jung was also found guilty of sharing secretly filmed sex videos and photos, including those taken during the gang rape, via online group chats. But he was acquitted on a separate sexual assault charge at the same trial. Jung and Cho

Social Affairs Nov. 29, 2019

Embattled former Justice Minister Cho Kuk is facing fresh allegations of power abuse. In addition to the corruption scandal involving his family, Cho is suspected of wrongly suspending the internal inspection of a senior official in 2017 and pushing for a police investigation to influence the Ulsan mayoral election in 2018. Cho was a senior presidential secretary at both times. Yoo Jae-soo, the senior official who is a former Busan vice mayor for economic affairs, attended the arrest warrant h

Politics Nov. 27, 2019

The Seoul Administrative Court ruled Tuesday that the Ministry of Justice can revoke the South Korean citizenship granted to a foreign immigrant if it finds the person married to more than one spouse -- whether by legal marriage or common law marriage -- even after granting citizenship. A man obtained South Korean citizenship in 2014 after marrying a Korean national in 2004. But upon learning of the man’s common law marriage in his home country in 2009, the Justice Ministry canceled his K

Social Affairs Nov. 26, 2019

On Friday, a special investigation unit of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office tasked with reinvestigating the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster secured communication records of the Coast Guard at the time of the incident. The special unit raided the Coast Guard headquarters in Incheon and branches in South Jeolla Province and asked the maritime security authority to submit travel records for the Sewol ferry rescue operations. In October, a special committee launched to review the ferry disast

Social Affairs Nov. 24, 2019

On Sunday, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea urged Chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn of the Liberty Korea Party to halt hunger strike he began Wednesday in front of Cheong Wa Dae.    Hwang is protesting President Moon Jae-in’s decisions to terminate a military intel-sharing pact with Japan and to push ahead with disputed fast-tracked bills on elections and an anti-corruption body. “Whether it be passing the bill or withdrawing it, we should be working at the Na

Politics Nov. 24, 2019

“Pray for me,” Liberty Korea Party Chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn said softly, barely audible to people near him. He was addressing a line of supporters one by one -- who appeared to be in their 50s and beyond -- at the site of his hunger strike in front of Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday. Hwang continued his hunger strike for a second day near the presidential office to protest President Moon Jae-in’s foreign and domestic policies. He demands that Moon extend the military intel-s

Politics Nov. 21, 2019

On Thursday morning, ex-Justice Minister Cho Kuk appeared before the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office for a second round of questioning. He reportedly refused to open up, just as he had the first time on Nob. 14. At the time, Cho denied all charges against him, saying he would “reveal the truth in court” once prosecutors indict him. The former justice minister faces corruption charges involving his family and charges of abuse of power. He did not

Social Affairs Nov. 21, 2019

Main opposition Liberty Korea Party Chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn began a hunger strike Wednesday to protest President Moon Jae-in’s foreign and domestic policies. Hwang demanded Moon extend the military intel-sharing pact with Japan and scrap his income-led growth economic initiative. He urged Moon to withdraw disputed fast-tracked bills, including election and anti-corruption body proposals, which Hwang said serve the ruling party’s interests. “I now go on indefinite hunger strike

Politics Nov. 20, 2019

The South Korean government should resume tours to North Korea’s Kumgangsan, Gangwon Province Gov. Choi Moon-soon said at a press conference held at the Seoul Foreign Correspondents’ Club on Tuesday.  “Resumption of the Kumgangsan tours is the deepest wish of the Korean people, and a matter of survival for Gangwon Province and its Goseong County,” Choi said, adding, “The tours will help North Korea to open up to the outside world and usher in peace and st

Social Affairs Nov. 19, 2019

On Monday, prosecutors indicted former Justice Minister Cho Kuk’s brother, Cho Kwon, accused of filing fraudulent lawsuits against a school foundation run by his family and of accepting money from job applicants in exchange for teaching positions at the school.  Cho Kwon, who has been in custody since Oct. 31, is now the third member of the Cho family, after Cho Kuk’s wife and his cousin’s son, to face corruption charges. Cho has reportedly turned down ever

Social Affairs Nov. 18, 2019

The Seoul High Court on Friday upheld a Supreme Court decision in favor of Korean American Steve Seung Jun Yoo, also known as Yoo Seung-jun, requiring the South Korean Consulate in Los Angeles to reconsider its 2017 decision to deny the former K-pop singer an F-4 residency visa. With the exception of a brief visit, the Korean-born singer and actor has been banned from his birth country since 2002, when he became a naturalized US citizen and evaded his mandatory military duty in Korea. Korea&rs

Social Affairs Nov. 15, 2019