Kim Sang-kyo, who opened the floodgates of a gamut of allegations, including illegal drug use, sexual assault to police corruption at the Burning Sun club, appeared before the police Tuesday for questioning on defamation charges filed against him following his accusations against the club.　(Yonhap)“It seems that the state authority is blocking the truth,” he said as he appeared before the Seoul District Police Agency. “I was a victim of assault and reported to the police for help, but I did not

Social Affairs March 19, 2019

Lee Moon-ho, the head of nightclub Burning Sun marred by allegations of sexual assault, drug use and corrupt ties with the police, attended a hearing on an arrest warrant against him Tuesday. He is suspected of illegal drug distribution. (Yonhap)Lee, 29, who ran the club where Big Bang member Seungri was an executive director, did not answer any questions as he entered the Seoul Central District Court. Lee is suspected of distributing drugs at the club, which he denies. Lee was named as a crimin

Social Affairs March 19, 2019

The parents of Lee Hee-jin, 33, a celebrity stock analyst jailed for illegal stock dealings, were found dead Saturday in an apparent double murder, police said Monday. 　(Lee Hee-jin' blog)Lee’s father, 62, was found in a storage space in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, and his mother, 58, was found at her home in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province, according to Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency.　Four suspects are thought to have killed them at their home between Feb. 25 and 26, and to have abandoned

Social Affairs March 18, 2019

Lee Jong-hyun of South Korean rock band CNBlue admitted that he had viewed sex videos shared by embattled singer Jung Joon-young in an online group chat, in the latest installment in the scandal rippling across the K-pop industry. (Yonhap)Jung, 30, is under investigation over allegations that he filmed himself having sex with at least 10 women and shared the footage without the women’s knowledge or consent in online group chat rooms.Lee, 29, whose label initially denied the artist’s involvement,

Social Affairs March 15, 2019

FT Island member Choi Jong-hoon is set to be questioned by police as early as Saturday over allegations that he illicitly took a photo of woman and shared it on an online group chat involving Big Bang’s Seungri and singer Jung Joon-young, according to a local news report. (Yonhap)The Seoul Metropolitan Agency will reportedly summon Choi, 29, as a criminal suspect to grill him about allegations that he took a photo of a sleeping woman and shared it without her consent on the embattled chat room.H

Social Affairs March 15, 2019

The police summoned an incumbent high-ranking police official for questioning Friday in connection with a burgeoning scandal involving K-pop stars Seungri and Jung Joon-young. (Yonhap) The senior superintendent, who worked as superintendent at the Gangnam Police Station, is suspected of pulling strings for the nightclub Burning Sun, where Seungri was an executive, to help its management avoid punishment for illegal acts.　The officer is also suspected of helping prevent media coverage of a drunk

Social Affairs March 15, 2019

K-pop idol star Seungri and singer-songwriter Jung Joon-young returned home Friday after marathon interrogations as criminal suspects in connection with a scandal encompassing illicit sex videos and sex-for-investment dealings.(Yonhap)In his second appearance before police, Seungri, 28, of K-pop boy band Big Bang was questioned for 16 hours over allegations that he brokered escort services for potential investors at the Burning Sun nightclub, where he had been a public relations director. Emergi

Social Affairs March 15, 2019

When the days get longer and start to feel warmer, it marks the arrival of spring, the season of regeneration and renewal. The whole nature awakens and so do flowers.  It is also when South Korea’s biggest flower market springs back to life, after a long, dark winter.  When The Korea Herald visited early this week, Yangjae Flower Market was already dominated by colorful spring flowers: freesia, tulip, royal azalea, Japanese apricot flower, daffodil, anemone, hyacinth, crocus,

Social Affairs March 14, 2019

 The season has come again for South Korea to begin grueling negotiations to set the minimum wage for the next year. This time, the debate involves calls for a lower minimum wage for low-skilled migrant workers. 　“When migrant workers first start work here, they can only do 70 percent of what Koreans do. It takes more than one year for them to get used to Korean culture, language and work,” said Lee Ahn-kyu, who runs a foundry plant that employs 23 workers in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province. 　“Should I

Social Affairs March 13, 2019

Former President Chun Doo-hwan denied libel charges against him, appearing before a Gwangju court Monday, 22 years after he was pardoned from a life sentence for his role in the crackdown on the May 18 Democratic Uprising.(Yonhap)Chun, 88, who came to power in a military coup in 1979 following the assassination of President Park Chung-hee, stands accused of defaming late activist priest Cho Chul-hyun. 　Cho said he witnessed the military shooting at civilians from helicopters during the bloody cr

Social Affairs March 11, 2019

Marking two years since former President Park Geun-hye was removed from office over a corruption scandal, thousands of radical conservative protesters held rallies on Sunday to demand her release and condemn the incumbent liberal president. Some 20,000 protestors, as estimated by the rally organizers, from several radical conservative groups demanded “an invalidation of the impeachment” and her “immediate release” in front of the Constitutional Court, Seoul Station and Daehanmun Gate near City H

Social Affairs March 10, 2019

Environment Minister Cho Myung-rae said Thursday the government plans to step up its cooperation with China to combat worsening pollution by pushing to jointly enforce dust-reducing measures and conduct an artificial rain experiment.　The ministry also plans to launch a pilot project to install large air purifying facilities outdoors in major cities, and tighten restrictions on driving on heavily polluted days.  　(Yonhap)The ministry said it would push for an artificial rainfall experiment over t

Social Affairs March 7, 2019

Frustration and anger are growing in Korea as high levels of ultrafine particulate pollution choked most parts of the country for more than a week.On Wednesday, emergency measures to reduce ultrafine dust -- defined as dust consisting of particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter -- were enforced for the sixth consecutive day in Seoul and surrounding areas, prompting President Moon Jae-in to order his government to secure extra funds in the budget if necessary and consult with China to t

Social Affairs March 6, 2019

China's firework displays during the Lantern Festival and stagnant air over the Korean Peninsula are the main culprits for the dangerously high levels of ultrafine dust pollution in South Korea at the end of February, a Seoul City-run environment agency said Wednesday.(Yonhap)“High density of ultrafine dust continued recently because the weather condition caused air over the Korean Peninsula to be stagnant and delayed diffusion of pollutants stemming within the country and from abroad,” said Shi

Social Affairs March 6, 2019

Thick ultrafine particulate pollution blanketed most of South Korea on Tuesday, prompting authorities to enforce emergency measures to combat fine dust again Wednesday for a sixth consecutive day in Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi and the North and South Chungcheong provinces.Downtown Seoul a year ago (left) and now. (Yonhap)Seoul’s hourly average level of ultrafine particles -- those smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter -- recorded 184 micrograms per cubic meter as of 4 p.m., according to the N

Social Affairs March 5, 2019