Chang Yong-jun, the 19-year-old son of opposition Liberty Korea Party Rep. Chang Je-won, admitted to driving under the influence of alcohol and attempting to pretend someone else was driving the vehicle, according to his lawyer on Tuesday.Chang, a rapper who performs under the name NO:EL, was booked and questioned by the police Monday for allegedly crashing his car into a moving motorcycle while driving under the influence of alcohol. The motorcyclist was reported to have sustained minor injurie

The top court on Monday confirmed the 3 1/2-year prison sentence for former South Chungcheong Province Gov. An Hee-jung for raping his female aide, in the country’s highest-profile #MeToo movement case.The Supreme Court acknowledged “invisible power” held by 54-year-old An -- at one time a strong presidential contender in the liberal bloc -- in using his authority and sexually assaulting the victim -- An’s secretary -- upholding an appeal court’s ruling. The la

The prosecution on Monday sought an arrest warrant for the operator of a private equity fund in which embattled Justice Minister Cho Kuk’s family had invested, as part of a widening probe into corruption allegations involving Cho and his family. President Moon Jae-in appointed Cho as justice minister, giving him control over the prosecution, on the same day -- even as the prosecution investigates allegations that his family made dubious investments and his daughter received special favors

Typhoon Lingling, the fifth-strongest typhoon to hit South Korea, left three people dead and more than 20 injured, caused power outages, disrupted transport services and damaged farmland and properties, with recovery operations underway Sunday.　The typhoon, which made landfall near the southern island of Jeju on Friday night, rapidly swept along the country’s west coast Saturday with strong winds and heavy rain before heading toward North Korea in the afternoon, according to the weather ag

Seoul Foreign School is set to hold the first World University Fair in Seoul on Saturday, providing students and the public a platform to explore opportunities for admission into more than 160 universities from 19 countries around the world.  At the one-day Seoul World University Fair, which will open at noon on Saturday at the its campus in western Seoul, students and their parents can meet with representatives from the schools and obtain information. “It is an opportunity not j

Beleaguered Justice Minister nominee Cho Kuk appears to be sinking further into a quagmire as more allegations concerning his wife and daughter continued to emerge Thursday, with prosecutors accelerating their probe into the allegations. A confirmation hearing for Cho is scheduled Friday. 　Cho’s wife, a professor at Dongyang University, faces allegations that she forged a certificate for their daughter, now 28, under the name of the university’s president without his knowledge in 201

Prosecutors on Thursday sought an arrest warrant for the eldest son of CJ Group Chairman Lee Jae-hyun over drug charges. 　The Incheon District Prosecutors’ Office took into custody Lee Sun-ho, heir apparent of the leading food and entertainment conglomerate at 8:20 p.m. Wednesday after he voluntarily showed up at around 6:20 p.m. He was caught Sunday at Incheon International Airport attempting to smuggle in liquid marijuana in cartridges, as well as other types of marijuana, from the US. T

Fresh allegations continued to surface Wednesday surrounding embattled Justice Minister nominee Cho Kuk’s daughter as a confirmation hearing for Cho was scheduled for Friday.  Local reports said Cho’s wife, a professor at Dongyang University, fraudulently issued an award for her daughter under the name of the university’s president without the president’s knowledge. The daughter, now 28, listed the award as one of her achievements on her application to the Pusan Nati

An opposition lawmaker came under fire Tuesday after he asked an unmarried female Fair Trade Commission chair nominee to “contribute to the country’s development” by giving birth. At a confirmation hearing for Fair Trade Commission chair nominee Cho Sung-wook, Rep. Jung Kap-yoon of the Liberty Korea Party said Cho would be a perfect candidate for the post if she were married and had a child. “What do you think is the biggest problem in Korean society?” the five

The prosecution on Tuesday raided universities, a medical center and other facilities as part of an investigation into a series of allegations involving Justice Minister nominee Cho Kuk and his family, less than a week before the parliamentary confirmation hearing on Cho is to be held. 　The Seoul Central Prosecutors’ Office conducted search and seizure operations simultaneously at some 20 locations, including five universities -- including Korea University and Pusan National University&rsq

Police are set to summon Big Bang star Seungri and Yang Hyun-suk, former head of K-pop entertainment house YG Entertainment, for questioning on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, on charges of overseas gambling.  Seungri, 29, formerly of K-pop boy band Big Bang, and Yang, 50, former chief producer and founder of YG Entertainment, are under investigation on suspicions that they gambled in a hotel casino in Las Vegas. Gambling is illegal in Korea, and Korean citizens are held to the countr

The National Assembly judiciary committee agreed Monday to convene a two-day confirmation hearing starting Sept. 2 on Justice Minister nominee Cho Kuk, who is plagued by a series of allegations involving his daughter and family.The ruling Democratic Party of Korea and the opposition bloc had bickered over the confirmation hearing date amid allegations ranging from university admission irregularities involving his daughter to his family’s dubious investment in a private equity firm.Rep. Son

Back in 2017, Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon gave up on entering the presidential race, saying he could not “win the hearts of the people.” 　Having won his third consecutive mayoral term in an overwhelming victory in June 2018, becoming the city’s longest-serving mayor, Park is now considered one of the strongest candidates for the 2022 presidential election. 　The 63-year-old former human rights lawyer and civic activist has not given a direct answer about his presidential ambitions

Embattled Justice Minister nominee Cho Kuk on Sunday apologized over a series of allegations involving his daughter, but expressed determination to undergo a confirmation hearing and help carry out the Moon Jae-in administration’s judicial reforms. His apology comes amid growing calls from the opposition bloc to step down as he faces allegations on matters ranging from a dubious investment in a private equity firm to his daughter’s questionable university admission process. &ldq

A spiraling series of allegations ranging from his dubious investment in a private equity fund to his involvement in a left-leaning group have cornered Cho Kuk since he was nominated as justice minister earlier this month.What appears to be further pushing him into the corner are allegations surrounding his daughter’s college admission, with young Koreans planning to hold candlelight vigils in protest of the former progressive icon.Cho is facing criticism over his 28-year-old daughter, who

The man who claimed to have murdered and dismembered a motel guest before dumping it in the Han River, said Wednesday he was not sorry to the victim at all, as he appeared for police questioning on the day his face and identity were made public. 　Jang Dae-ho, 38, who is suspected of murdering, dismembering and abandoning the victim’s body, said, “It is an incident in which a heinous criminal killed a scumbag, which means a bad guy killed a bad guy.”　“No matter how I think

South Korea will tighten its environmental and safety inspections for recycling waste imported from Japan, the government said Friday, in an apparent attempt to counter Japan’s recent trade restrictions on Korea.The Ministry of Environment said it would conduct radioactive and heavy metals tests on battery, tire and plastic waste imported from Japan into Korea once a month, instead of the current quarterly inspection.Announcing the decision, the ministry cited public concerns about radioac

A video in which a driver assaulted another driver who had been complaining about the former’s aggressive driving, went viral Friday, sparking public outrage and calls for punishment for the violent driver. In the video, a van continued to change lanes on a road on Jeju Island at around 10:40 a.m. on July 4. When another motorist protested about his reckless driving, the 30-something van driver left his vehicle to assault the motorist. The van driver was seen taking away a mobile phone of

Thousands of citizens from South Korea and Japan on Thursday urged the Shinzo Abe administration to apologize to Korean victims forced to work for Japanese occupiers during a rally in central Seoul, marking the 74th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japan.  Despite heavy rain, an estimated 3,000 people gathered at Seoul Plaza to denounce the Abe administration for failing to admit to its past wrongdoings during its 1910-45 colonialization of Korea as historical issues are st

Former Vice Justice Minister Kim Hak-eui denied accusations that he received sexual services or bribes from businessmen as his trial opened Tuesday, six years after he first became mired in an orgy scandal. At the first hearing, held in the Seoul Central District Court, Kim’s lawyer accused the prosecution of unreasonably filing bribery charges for the sake of indicting him.“He was stigmatized as a shameless rapist, was subjected to blame and mockery, and was forced to stay silent in