President Moon Jae-in granted pardons to 6,444 people Friday, including an ex-liberal lawmaker, evictees involved in the deadly Yongsan disaster and migrant workers, which the presidential office said aims to help ordinary people without money or power and foster unity. In a reversal of tradition, business tycoons, political bigwigs and close associates of the president were excluded from the presidential pardons executed for the first time since President Moon Jae-in came to power in May. Justi

Social Affairs Dec. 29, 2017

A Seoul court on Thursday rejected the prosecution’s request for a warrant to arrest Cho Yoon-sun, a former culture minister and presidential aide to ousted President Park Geun-hye, on charges of bribery and abuse of power.  (Yonhap)Judge Oh Min-seok of the Seoul Central District Court said that her charges are disputable and that it is difficult to acknowledge the possibility of her destroying evidence, given the progress of the investigation.The prosecution sought an arrest warrant for Cho on

Social Affairs Dec. 28, 2017

South Korean civic groups demanded Wednesday the government nullify the Korea-Japan deal over Japan’s wartime sexual enslavement of Korean women, after a task force revealed that the government led by ousted President Park Geun-hye had made secret agreements with Japan in connection with it. Protesters sit on chairs while holding flowers in tribute to the deceased victims of Japan’s sexual enslavement of Korean women during World War II, at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul after staging this

Social Affairs Dec. 27, 2017

The Minister of Government Legislation discussed regulatory policies and ways to improve legislative efficiency with the US legislative bodies during a four-day visit to the US earlier this month, the ministry said. Minister Kim Oe-sook visited the US Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs and the Office of the Legislative Counsel of the US House of Representatives from Dec. 20-24 to learn from the US in responding to legislative challenges in the face of the “fourth industrial revolution,

Social Affairs Dec. 27, 2017

The South Korean government said Friday that it will accept 56,000 foreign workers on the low-skilled work scheme next year, the same number as this year, as part of its efforts to tackle the labor shortage in the manufacturing sector. The committee in charge of managing the foreign labor force also unveiled plans to improve the working and living conditions of migrant workers in the farming sector and to curb foreign workers who stay illegally in the country. Headed by Hong Nam-gi, minister of

Social Affairs Dec. 22, 2017

South Korea’s top court upheld Friday the lower court’s ruling that cleared Hong Joon-pyo, leader of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party, of bribery charges in a high-profile lobbying scandal. The Supreme Court also confirmed Lee Wan-koo, former prime minister under ousted President Park Geun-hye, was not guilty of bribery charges in connection with the scandal, citing a lack of evidence. Hong and Lee were indicted in July 2015 as part of the prosecution’s probe into a suspected “bribery lis

Social Affairs Dec. 22, 2017

The prosecution plans to visit former President Park Geun-hye in jail for questioning over alleged bribery involving the state spy agency, as she refused to appear before the prosecutors’ office for questioning Friday. In a document sent to the Seoul Central Prosecutors’ Office on Thursday, Park said that she could not appear for questioning due to her frail health. Park, who is standing trial on corruption charges, has been in custody since March at the Seoul Detention Center. Park Geun-hye (Yo

Social Affairs Dec. 22, 2017

As the year’s end draws nearer, the festive season is in full swing. An ice skating rink is the splendid backdrop to Winter Wonderland. Families, friends and lovers of all ages don their skates and glide around the ice rink. Children are seen practicing their skating skills with dreams of becoming the next speed skater champion Lee Sang-hwa or figure skating queen Kim Yu-na. If you are looking to enjoy winter sports in the city, Lotte World Ice Rink is located inside the nation’s most popular th

Culture Dec. 22, 2017

Won Sei-hoon, former director of the National Intelligence Service, was called in for questioning Thursday over allegations that the state spy agency suppressed liberal artists and exerted undue influence over a public broadcaster. Won Sei-hoon (Yonhap)The questioning is said to have focused on allegations that Won, already jailed for meddling in the 2012 presidential election, interfered in domestic politics by blacklisting thousands of cultural figures deemed critical of the conservative Lee M

Social Affairs Dec. 22, 2017

A Seoul court on Thursday handed down prison terms for two former party campaign officials of the minor opposition People’s Party for offering a fake tip to tarnish then-liberal candidate Moon Jae-in’s campaign in the lead-up to the presidential election in May. Lee Joon-seo (Yonhap)The Seoul Southern District Court sentenced Lee Joon-seo, a former member of the party’s supreme council, to eight months in prison and sentenced Lee Yoo-mi, a rank-and-file member of the party, to one year in jail,

Social Affairs Dec. 22, 2017

South Korea’s top court confirmed on Thursday a lower court’s ruling that sentenced Cho Hyun-ah, former vice president of Korea Air, to 10 months in prison, suspended for two years, for disrupting a plane‘s operations in the so-called “nut rage” case. Cho, the eldest daughter of the airline’s chairman Cho Yang-ho, was sent to trial in January 2015 for assaulting a chief cabin crew, forcing the taxiing plane back to the gate in New York and disrupting the plane’s operations. 　In February 2015, th

Social Affairs Dec. 21, 2017

The prosecution summoned former President Park Geun-hye for questioning Friday over allegations that the presidential office illegally received money from the National Intelligence Service during her presidency. Park Geun-hye (Yonhap)It is not yet clear whether Park will appear for the questioning. She is in detention and on trial on charges of bribery and abuse of power in connection with a corruption scandal that removed her from power. Park is suspected of receiving some of the “special activ

Politics Dec. 20, 2017

Choi Soon-sil, confidante of ousted President Park Geun-hye, said that Samsung Group’s purchase of expensive horses was not a bribe, but part of the group’s roadmap for equestrian sponsorship, during the appeals trial of Samsung’s de facto leader Lee Jae-yong.Taking the witness stand at the 15th hearing of the appeals trial of Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee at Seoul High Court, she reiterated her denial of bribery allegations surrounding herself, Lee and former President Park. Lee was sen

Social Affairs Dec. 20, 2017

박근혜 전 대통령이 구치소에서 인권침해를 당하고 있다는 주장에 대해 유엔 인권이사회 산하 '자의적 구금에 관한 실무그룹(WGAD)'이 이르면 내년 1월 중순에 입장을 내놓을 예정이라고 법무 컨설팅 기업 MH그룹이 밝혔다. 관련 영어기사사진=연합뉴스18일 MH그룹 마샤나 호세이니운(Mishana Hosseinioun) 대표는 코리아헤럴드와의 인터뷰를 통해 “11일 유엔 실무그룹이 박 전 대통령의 인권침해 문제를 들여다 보기로 공식 결정했다”며 “이 같은 결정은 유엔이 박 전 대통령의 상황을 심각하게 바라보고 있다는 의미”라고 말했다. MH그룹은 박 전대통령의 구치소 구금과 관련해 지난 10월, 유엔 실무그룹에 보고서를 제출하면서 박 전 대통령이 인권 침해를 당하고 있다고 주장했다.앞서 8월, MH그룹은 박 전 대통령의 인권침해 주장에 대한 개입을 요청하는 서한을 유엔 실무그룹에 보내기도 했다. 유엔 실무그룹의 결과 발표가 박 전 대통령의 사법처리 과정에서 법적 구속력을 가지고 있는 것

한국어판 Dec. 18, 2017

The United Nations is set to release its position on the legitimacy of ousted President Park Geun-hye’s detention in mid-January, said MH Group, an international legal group representing Park.In an exclusive interview in Seoul on Monday, Mishana Hosseinioun, president of US-based MH Group, told The Korea Herald that the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has started looking into South Korea’s treatment of Park in jail, following allegations she is being unlawfully detained and her basic rig

Social Affairs Dec. 18, 2017