The Ministry of Justice will amend the current anti-stalking law in order to enhance the system to protect victims, in response to a murder at Sindang Station in Seoul that took place Wednesday. The Justice Ministry announced Friday it will abolish a certain provision of the anti-stalking law that stipulates a perpetrator cannot be prosecuted without the agreement of the victim. The ministry analyzed that the provision hinders investigative agencies from offering protection in the early stages a

Social Affairs Sept. 16, 2022

Controversy over the relocation of the presidential office has been reignited yet again, following revelations that 87.8 billion won ($63 million) has been requested for the construction of a new building to replace Yeongbingwan. Yeongbingwan, the former state reception hall located at Cheong Wa Dae, which was previously the presidential office and residence, has been closed following President Yoon Suk-yeol's decision to relocate. In March, then-President-elect Yoon said it would cost 49.6

Politics Sept. 16, 2022

President Yoon Suk-yeol said Friday that he has ordered the Ministry of Justice to work on the anti-stalking law in order to prevent a repeat of the murder of a subway station worker by a colleague who had stalked her for years. Saying that such crimes has no place in society, Yoon said he directed the Justice Ministry to take countermeasures. "The report of the stalking murder of a station employee at Sindang Station yesterday has gravely shocked the public," he said. "We have en

Social Affairs Sept. 16, 2022

Two 20-year old men who recruited minors to rob jewelry stores, along with three others, have been taken into custody, the Daejeon Jungbu Police Station said Thursday. According to police, the two men organized the robberies and the teenagers carried out the theft. Those involved in the delivery of the jewelry and money were taken into custody, along with 11 people booked without physical detention. Two teenagers among the suspects are accused of breaking into a jewelry shop and stealing 67 item

Social Affairs Sept. 15, 2022

The woman thought to be the mother of two children found dead in a suitcase last month in New Zealand was apprehended in Ulsan early Thursday. Korean National Police Agency announced that the woman, who allegedly murdered her two children, was taken into custody in Ulsan. The woman was confirmed as a Korean-New Zealander who acquired New Zealand nationality after losing her Korean nationality. The woman is accused of killing her two children, seven and 10 years old at the time of death, in Auckl

Social Affairs Sept. 15, 2022

North Korean authorities have stressed the country must not yield to sanctions from the international community and continue on the road to self-reliance, lashing out at the South Korean government’s “audacious initiative” policy and rejecting its proposal for talks between authorities to solve the problem of separated families. The Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the ruling Workers' Party, said in an editorial on Wednesday, "Imperialists regard sanctions as

North Korea Sept. 14, 2022

The independent counsel probe into the death of Sgt. Lee Ye-ram, a victim of sexual violence in the Air Force, came to an end Monday, with the results to be announced tomorrow. The independent counsel team led by prosecutor Ahn Mi-young was launched in June, and Monday was the end of the 100 days granted under related regulations. Over the past 100 days, the team searched more than 30 locations, including the Defense Ministry, Air Force Headquarters, 20th Fighter Wing, and Air Force Investigatio

Social Affairs Sept. 12, 2022

It was during the 20th presidential election that the young generation suddenly surged as a tie-breaking vote, making the two largest parties desperate to entice them. The People Power Party focused on male voters in their 20s -- previously a reliably liberal demographic -- with Lee Jun-seok, who was the youngest party leader in the South Korean history at the time. The Democratic Party recruited Park Ji-hyun, a 26-year-old anti-sex crime activist, to shore up its appeal to young female voters.

Politics Sept. 10, 2022

Kang In-sun, a spokesperson for the presidential office, will become the administration's overseas public relations secretary and also serve as a spokesperson for foreign media, chief of staff said Wednesday. Kim Dae-ki, President Yoon Suk-yeol’s Chief of Staff, said at a press briefing on Wednesday that an overseas public relations secretary has been re-established under the senior public relations office, and the current presidential spokesperson Kang In-sun will be assigned at the

Politics Sept. 7, 2022

The 2023 budget allocated for dealing with the contaminated wastewater from Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant has been cut by 13 percent, compared to this year's allotment, data showed Tuesday. According to Rep. Kim Young-joo of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, the government has earmarked 2.6 billion won ($1.8 million) for the project, compared to 3 billion won for this year. The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission had initially requested 3.8 billion won, but it was reduced

Politics Sept. 6, 2022

Six out of 10 arrests for digital sexual violence in Korea during 2020 involved sexual exploitation of minors, government data showed Tuesday. Among the victims of overall sexual violence cases, women accounted for the majority with 88 percent. The data was part of the report, titled "2022 Statistics on the Life of Men and Women," by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. Since 1997, the government had been releasing the annual report under the title "Statistics on the Life o

Social Affairs Sept. 6, 2022

Calls for more aggressive investigation methods called “online search and seizure” are rising following reports of another digital sexual exploitation crime similar to the “Nth Room” case. Online search and seizure is a technique in which an investigative agency hacks suspects’ electronic devices and installs a monitoring program to collect criminal evidence in real time. Not only can the agency secure stored information and information in transmission, it can manip

Social Affairs Sept. 5, 2022

Rep. Lee Jae-myung, the new leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, criticized the prosecution as “inappropriate” for summoning him regarding the alleged violation of the election law on Friday. Lee met with reporters after the party leadership meeting held in Gwangju on Friday, where he expressed suspicions that the ongoing investigation into him is politically motivated, and that the current administration is behind the developments. "The power entrusted by th

Politics Sept. 2, 2022

The ‘Anti-Nth room’ legislation is again facing criticism as the police steps up its investigation into another digital sexual exploitation crime similar to the "Nth Room" and "Baksa Room" cases that shocked Korean society two years ago. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's cybercrime unit said on Wednesday that it has enhanced its investigation team, assigned more personnel to the case and launched a task force on Thursday. As with the "Nth Room" and

Social Affairs Sept. 2, 2022

Typhoon Hinnamnor has grown into the strongest level typhoon, and is expected to pass by Jeju Island by early next week. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, Hinnamnor will reach 470 km south-southwest of the city of Seogwipo, Jeju, on Monday and be 180 km east-northeast of Seogwipo at 9 a.m. on Tuesday. Most of the route prediction models expect Hinnamnor to pass through the Korea Straits between South Korea and Japan, but some predict that it will strike South Jeolla Province

Social Affairs Sept. 1, 2022