Controversial cult leader’s sentence reduced to 17 years

Jeong Myeong-suk, the cult leader who gained global notoriety for sexual offenses documented in the Netflix series “In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal,” had his prison sentence reduced to 17 years by an appellate court on Wednesday. Known to his followers as the "Jesus Morning Star," Jeong is the leader of the Christian Gospel Mission. He was initially sentenced last December to 23 years in prison for the rape and sexual assault of three female believers. Upholding Jeong&#

Social AffairsOct. 3, 2024

Samsung, Hyundai chiefs to accompany Yoon on Singapore trip

A group of business leaders, including Samsung Electronics Co. Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Euisun Chung, will accompany President Yoon Suk Yeol on his visit to Singapore next week, industry sources said Thursday. Yoon is set to embark on a three-nation trip on Sunday to visit the Philippines, Singapore and Laos to attend the summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and hold bilateral talks, according to his office. In Singapore, Lee is expected to attend a

PoliticsOct. 3, 2024

Yoon aims to elevate ties on Southeast Asian trip

President Yoon Suk Yeol is poised to visit Laos for the South Korea-ASEAN summit in Vientiane, Laos, on Oct. 10, with both sides working to upgrade ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the highest level in ASEAN's diplomatic hierarchy. Laos will be one of the three Southeast Asian nations Yoon plans to visit next week, along with the Philippines and Singapore. This year's summit between South Korea and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will mark a watershed moment, K

PoliticsOct. 3, 2024

Ex-presidential official’s leaked phone call rattles conservative bloc

In a startling revelation, a leaked phone conversation in which a former presidential official urged a YouTube news channel reporter to discredit the current leader of the ruling People Power Party during the party's leadership race has alarmed the conservative bloc in recent days. Voice of Seoul, a far-left YouTube-based news channel, recently uploaded an apparent recording of a phone conversation between Kim Dae-nam, formerly the acting secretary for public communication at the presidenti

PoliticsOct. 3, 2024

Pay debate plagues foreign nanny pilot

As Seoul's six-month foreign caregiver pilot program marks its first month on Thursday, significant unresolved issues -- particularly over pay. The initiative, led by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Ministry of Employment and Labor, aims to offer affordable child care and light and incidental help with housework. The six-month pilot, limited to Seoul households, primarily dual-income with multiple children, and employing only Filipino national women aged 24-38, began on Sept. 3 wi

Social AffairsOct. 3, 2024

35% of S. Koreans view unification 'unnecessary'

Skepticism toward unification with North Korea is rising in South Korea, with the proportions of people who view it as "unnecessary" and those who see it as "impossible" reaching record highs since 2007, when the poll started. According to the survey on the public unification perception, released by the Institute for Peace and Unification Studies from Seoul National University on Wednesday, 35 percent of respondents indicated that unification is either "entirely unnecess

Social AffairsOct. 3, 2024

Medical standoff heats up as SNU approves leaves for striking students

The monthslong medical standoff entered a new phase this week after Seoul National University became the first institution to approve leave of absence requests from striking students who have been boycotting classes to protest the government's plan to increase the medical school admissions quota. Despite government warnings of severe repercussions, SNU's decision on Monday prompted a swift response from the Ministry of Education, further escalating tensions between the medical communit

Social AffairsOct. 3, 2024

Man escapes DUI charges by downing bottle of soju while pulled over

A Daegu court said Thursday it has cleared a 60-year-old man of drunk driving charges, ruling that his consumption of alcohol after stopping his car made it impossible to determine if he had been intoxicated while driving. The man was initially suspected of driving 2.4 kilometers in Daegu with a blood alcohol content of 0.128 percent. He was stopped by police in the city’s Jung-gu district on Sept. 16 at 11:38 p.m. and his breath was tested by police 40 minutes later. The driver was charge

Social AffairsOct. 3, 2024

German envoy calls for innovation, collaboration in world in flux

German Ambassador to Seoul Georg Schmidt highlighted the growing complexities and opportunities in a world in flux during a session of the Global Business Forum on Wednesday. Addressing the weekly forum of local CEOs and leaders from various fields, the diplomat touched upon a wide array of pressing issues — from Germany’s energy revolution and the rise of artificial intelligence to demographic shifts and global security, as he emphasized the need for innovation and international col

Social AffairsOct. 3, 2024

PM vows to complete medical reform

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo vowed Thursday to complete a medical reform, saying the reform drive is an essential choice to ensure the safety of people and protect future generations. Han made the remark at a ceremony commemorating National Foundation Day, although the monthslong walkout by trainee doctors against the government's medical reform has showed little signs of progress to resolve the standoff. "We will surely complete essential medical reform to protect the lives and safety

PoliticsOct. 3, 2024

S. Korean, US officials tout 'ironclad,' 'unwavering' alliance at Korean national day event

South Korean and US officials on Wednesday expressed strong confidence over the present and future of the two countries' evolving alliance, calling it "ironclad" and "unwavering," as they celebrated the Korean National Day and Armed Forces Day in Washington on Wednesday. Their paean for the decadesold alliance came as Seoul and Washington have been stepping up security cooperation amid a series of regional and global security challenges, including North Korea's evol

PoliticsOct. 3, 2024

Yoon, Ishiba to have summit in Laos next week: NHK

New Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba plans to have his first summit with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on the margins of annual regional gatherings in Laos next week, Japan's broadcaster NHK reported Thursday. The two leaders will have their first in-person meeting since Ishiba took office on Tuesday, the Japanese public broadcaster said, as both plan to participate in a series of meetings involving the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Laos. The plann

PoliticsOct. 3, 2024

Senior US diplomats to visit S. Korea next week for workshop on NK human rights violations

Two senior US diplomats will travel to South Korea next week to attend a workshop on human rights violations in North Korea and other events, the State Department said Wednesday. During their trip from Monday to Oct. 11, Special Envoy for North Korean human rights Julie Turner and Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice Beth Van Schaack plan to co-host a high-level strategic workshop centering on accountability for human rights violations in the North, according to the department. Organi

Diplomatic CircuitOct. 3, 2024

Yoon, Ishiba discuss cooperation on N. Korea in 1st phone talks

President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japan's new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba held their first phone conversation Wednesday to discuss bilateral ties and cooperation on countering threats posed by North Korea, Yoon's office said. During the call, Yoon and Ishiba agreed to work on enhancing both bilateral cooperation and trilateral collaboration involving the United States to address North Korean issues. "The leaders agreed on the need for South Korea, Japan and the United States to make

Foreign AffairsOct. 2, 2024

Prosecution closes 'Dior bag' case amid opposition uproar

The prosecution on Wednesday closed its high-profile case concerning the first lady's alleged acceptance of a luxury handbag caught on a hidden camera, despite the outcry of the opposition parties, accusing the law enforcement agency of surrendering to power. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office announced Wednesday that it will not charge the giver nor the taker of the expensive gifts amounting to 5 million won ($3,800) combined, including a Christian Dior handbag valued at 3

PoliticsOct. 2, 2024

S. Korea to send military aircraft to evacuate nationals from Middle East

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday directed the immediate dispatch of military aircraft to evacuate nationals from the Middle East as tensions escalated rapidly with intensified clashes between Israel and Iran as well as its backed militias Hezbollah and Hamas. "The president emphasized that protecting South Korean nationals in Israel and the Middle East is of utmost importance and instructed that all necessary measures be taken," his office said in a statement issued fo

Foreign AffairsOct. 2, 2024

Court confirms sentence for rapper who attempted to evade national service

A South Korean rapper who pretended that his mental illness had worsened in order to shorten his mandatory national service will be subject to a suspended prison term, the country's top court confirmed Wednesday. Announcing the ruling, which it said was made last month, the Supreme Court upheld a 14-month sentence, suspended for two years, for the rapper Nafla, who was convicted last year of violating the Military Service Act and the Criminal Act, specifically for obstructing the performanc

Social AffairsOct. 2, 2024

Russian ambassador hopes for improved ties with Seoul

Georgy Zinoviev, the Russian ambassador in Seoul, told South Korean lawmakers on Wednesday that although the relations between the two countries were going through a difficult time, he believed they would improve in the future. “I would like to take this opportunity to say that even though South Korea and Russia are going through a rough patch at this moment, I believe there is still a lot of potential for expanding cooperation and resuming dialogue in the future,” he said, speaking

PoliticsOct. 2, 2024

Scalpers using macros to resell Byeon Woo-seok, Lim Young-woong tickets busted

South Korean police have caught scalpers in their 20s and 30s for using macro tools to illegally buy performance tickets for popular stars like Lim Young-woong and Byeon Woo-seok, then reselling them at premium prices. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said on Tuesday that they had apprehended seven individuals, identified as college students, job seekers and soldiers, who used automated macro programs from 2021 until August of this year to snatch highly sought-after tickets and resell them o

Social AffairsOct. 2, 2024

N. Korea may revoke 1991 Inter-Korean Basic Agreement in parliament: Seoul

North Korea may revoke the Inter-Korean Basic Agreement, which has served as a pivotal foundation for the development of inter-Korean relations and efforts toward peaceful reunification for more than three decades, during its parliamentary session scheduled for next week, the Unification Ministry in Seoul said Wednesday. The potential action aligns with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's public declaration that the two Koreas are engaged in relations between "two hostile states" lo

North KoreaOct. 2, 2024