The prosecution concluded Thursday that former President Park Geun-hye, who was jailed for corruption, should not be allowed a stay of execution of her prison sentence as her state of her health does not warrant it. Park, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison and a fine of 20 billion won ($17.2 million) for bribery and abuses of power by the appeals court, asked for a stay of execution last week, citing her “searing” back pain that cannot be treated in custody. Former President Park Geun-hye (

Social Affairs April 25, 2019

INCHEON -- A court on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit filed by an Angolan family that has been stranded for four months inside Incheon Airport’s transit zone after being denied a chance for refugee application and entry to the country. 　Nkuka Lulendo, his wife and four children aged under 10, who arrived in Korea on a tourist visa on Dec. 28, filed a suit in February, asking the court to invalidate the immigration office’s decision to deny entry and their chance at refugee status application.　The I

Social Affairs April 25, 2019

The face of convicted child rapist Cho Doo-soon, whose brutal rape of an 8-year-old girl in 2008 shocked the South Korean public, was revealed on a TV program Wednesday amid growing concerns over his upcoming release.　　(MBC)Public broadcaster MBC released a photo of Cho, who is due to be released from prison Dec. 13 next year, during a program that aired Wednesday afternoon.　It was the first time Cho’s face was revealed to the public. Under the law, the faces of people who commit heinous crimes

Social Affairs April 25, 2019

K-pop singer and actor Park Yoo-chun was expelled from his agency on Wednesday, after results revealed that he had tested positive for methamphetamine. A hearing on whether to arrest him is scheduled for Friday.(Yonhap)His management agency, C-JeS Entertainment, announced in a statement it had terminated its contract with Park, of K-pop boy band JYJ, and he would retire from the entertainment industry. 　All of his engagements have been called off, and the three-member JYJ is expected to disband.

Social Affairs April 24, 2019

The first International Tchaikovsky Online Piano Competition for Young Musicians ended last week with an award ceremony at Seoul Cyber University in Seoul, where a South Korean student claimed the second prize. (Clockwise from second row) Judges Yasuo Watanabe of Japan, Pascal Nemirovski of France, Lee Kyungsook of Korea, Vladimir Ovchinnikov of Russia and Alexander S. Sokolov of Russia. Lee Sang-kyun, board chair of the Shinil Educational Foundation and Seoul Cyber University, and Andrey M. Sch

Social Affairs April 22, 2019

Some 1,200 metric tons of plastic waste shipped back to Korea from the Philippines in January and 3,400 tons of waste stopped from illegally being exported are to be incinerated starting Wednesday.  (Yonhap-Greenpeace)The Pyongtaek city government will send the unrecyclable garbage currently held at Pyeongtaek Port to four Gyeonggi-area private incineration facilities.　Environment Minister Cho Myung-rae is set to visit the port for an on-site inspection on Wednesday to oversee the process, accor

Social Affairs April 22, 2019

The Seoul Metropolitan Government laid out plans Sunday to designate tent zones and reduce the amount of trash generated in parks along the Han River, as part of efforts to better keep the parks clean and boost public safety.Banpo Hangang Park (Ock Hyun-ju/The Korea Herald)　Tents will only be allowed from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 13 specific tent zones in 11 riverside parks -- including two in Yeouido Hangang Park and two in Banpo Hangang Park. In the zones, tents must be smaller than 2 meters tall a

Social Affairs April 21, 2019

A grandson of the late Hyundai Group founder Chung Ju-yung was apprehended Sunday at the Incheon Airport on suspicions of using liquid marijuana, even as another SK Group family member is under probe for using it. (Yonhap)The 28-year-old -- eldest son of Chung Mong-il, the eighth son of Hyundai founder and CEO of Hyundai M Partners -- was taken into custody at around 9:30 a.m. upon his arrival from the United Kingdom, according to the police. Chung is suspected of purchasing a liquid form of mar

Social Affairs April 21, 2019

An appeals court said Thursday the government does not have to disclose documents on the negotiations that led to a controversial 2015 deal between South Korea and Japan on Tokyo’s wartime sex slavery, citing national interest. (Yonhap)Overturning a lower court’s decision, the Seoul High Court ruled that making public the documents, which include diplomatic secrets, could severely violate Korea’s interests and damage ties with Japan.“If the information is revealed, Japan’s side would be disclose

Social Affairs April 18, 2019

Subway Line No. 5 in Seoul was partially disrupted at around 11 a.m. Thursday due to a power outage, Seoul Metro said.  (Yonhap)The power cut took place on the rail connecting Gwangnaru Station and Gangdong Station, suspending subway services in both directions at four stops between Gunja Station and Gangdong Station. Efforts are underway to restore services. As of 11:20 a.m., subway services bound for the Sangildong and Macheon stations have resumed. By Ock Hyun-ju (laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)

Social Affairs April 18, 2019

The prosecution on Wednesday apprehended the businessman at the center of allegations of rape, sexual bribery and abuse of power involving former Vice Justice Minister Kim Hak-eui, accusing him of fraud and other charges. In the fresh probe into the high-profile case, prosecutors identified suspected misappropriation of company funds and fraud by Yoon Jung-cheon, 58, while he was heading a construction firm between November 2017 and May last year, according to the prosecution. The prosecution is

Social Affairs April 17, 2019

South Gyeongsang Province Gov. Kim Kyoung-soo, on trial for his alleged role in rigging online comments to benefit then-presidential candidate Moon Jae-in, has been released on bail after 77 days in detention.The Seoul High Court approved Kim’s request for bail on the condition that he is limited to staying at his residence in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province. The court allowed Kim, who won his post in 2018, to commute to work, but ordered him not to contact anyone in connection with the ongo

Social Affairs April 17, 2019

Bereaved families of the victims of the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster on Monday called for a fresh prosecutorial investigation into the event and punishment for those accountable, a day before the fifth anniversary of the disaster. (Yonhap)Five years after the 6,800-ton ferry sank in waters off the southern coast on April 16, 2014, killing 304 people -- most of whom were high school students on a field trip -- the victims’ families said justice has not yet been served because of attempted cover-ups.

Social Affairs April 15, 2019

After the Constitutional Court ruled the abortion ban as unconstitutional, South Korea faces the tough task of revising the criminal code that has criminalized abortions, by the end of 2020. One of the core points lawmakers have to agree on for the revision is the number of weeks of pregnancy during which women are allowed to have abortions. In the verdict, the court said that criminalizing all abortions -- even in the early stages of pregnancy -- restricts pregnant women’s rights to self-determ

Social Affairs April 12, 2019

Police on Friday referred the case of Hwang Ha-na, a granddaughter of the founder of a major South Korean dairy company, to the prosecution on charges of using and selling illegal drugs. (Yonhap)Hwang, 31-year-old granddaughter of Namyang Dairy Products’ founder Hong Doo-young, was arrested on suspicion that she sold and used methamphetamine in 2015. She also faces fresh allegations she used illegal drugs last April. As she was moved from the detention room of the Suwon Nambu Police Station to t

Social Affairs April 12, 2019