Key figures in Seongnam development scandal sentenced to 8-year prison terms

Two key figures in a development corruption scandal linked to President Lee Jae Myung were sentenced to eight-year prison terms each on Friday. The Seoul Central District Court handed down the sentences to Yoo Dong-gyu, former acting president of Seongnam Development Corp., and Kim Man-bae, major shareholder of asset management firm Hwacheon Daeyu, on charges including breach of duty. The scandal centers on allegations that a small number of unheard-of private asset management companies, includi

Oct. 31, 2025

S. Korea toughens penalties for unpaid wages

● Updated Law: Labor Standards Act What it does: Increases penalties for unpaid wages and expands protections for workers Took effect: Oct. 23 To ensure stable livelihoods for workers, sanctions against employers who fail to pay wages on time have been significantly strengthened. Under the revised law, if an employer intentionally withholds wages for a cumulative total of three months or more within a year, affected workers may now claim up to three times the amount owed as compensation. Previou

Oct. 27, 2025

Arrest warrant sought for ex-justice minister over alleged martial law involvement

A special counsel team has filed for an arrest warrant for a former justice minister over his alleged role in last year's short-lived martial law imposition, officials said Thursday. The special counsel team investigating the martial law turmoil sought the warrant to arrest former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae on charges including involvement in the incident and abuse of power, officials said. On Dec. 3, then President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law, but the National Assembly voted to lift

Oct. 9, 2025

Bill dismantling Prosecutor’s Office, reorganizing ministries passes Assembly

South Korea’s National Assembly on Friday approved a bill to dismantle the country’s central prosecutorial body, splitting its powers of investigation and indictment between newly created agencies. The amendment to the Government Organization Act, drafted by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, passed by a vote of 174 to one, with five abstentions. A total of 180 lawmakers participated in the vote. Under the law, the Prosecutor's Office will be formally abolished in September next year after a

Sept. 26, 2025

Ruling party ups stakes in battle with courts with summons for chief justice

Tensions between the judicial branch and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea escalated Wednesday, as the party voted through an unprecedented motion to summon Supreme Court Chief Justice Jo Hee-de for a parliamentary hearing. The conservative opposition People Power Party boycotted the vote and condemned the move as a fatal blow to the separation of powers. The renewed controversy also comes as President Lee Jae Myung’s administration advances a broader judicial overhaul focused on splitting th

Sept. 24, 2025

S. Korea raises deposit insurance payout ceiling for first time in 24 years

● Updated law: Depositor Protection Act What it does: Bolsters the protection of depositors from financial risks Took effect: Sept. 1 The maximum deposit insurance payout has doubled to 100 million won ($71,400) starting Sept.1. The figure had been set at 50 million won for 24 years since 2001. Deposit insurance guarantees that if a bank or other deposit-taking institution fails, depositors will still recover their money up to a certain limit. In the past, financial authorities had taken a cauti

Sept. 23, 2025

First step of prosecutor overhaul raises legal questions

The Democratic Party of Korea is expected to pass legislation this week as part of its plans to break up the Prosecutors’ Office, but some legal experts worry the move could violate legislative norms and create confusion in law enforcement. The amendment to the Government Organization Act, scheduled for an Assembly vote Thursday, aims to prepare the ground for dismantling country’s central prosecutorial body by removing all references to the “Prosecutors’ Office." The organizational structure an

Sept. 21, 2025

Ex-President Yoon absent from insurrection trial for 9th straight session

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol was absent from his insurrection trial for the ninth consecutive session Monday, as a special counsel team requested the court speed up proceedings by holding four hearings a week. Yoon has been standing trial on charges of leading an insurrection and abusing his power through his botched attempt to impose martial law in December. He has refused to appear at his trial since he was placed in custody for the second time on July 10 on charges related to the martial la

Sept. 15, 2025

S. Korea moves to dismantle prosecution HQ next year in sweeping overhaul

South Korea on Sunday confirmed plans to dissolve the Prosecutors' Office next year, dividing its powers between two new agencies as part of President Lee Jae Myung’s broader agenda for prosecution reform and a sweeping government overhaul. “There have been longstanding concerns over unchecked prosecutorial power and the erosion of fairness. In response, we have decided to abolish the Prosecutors' Office and (divide its authority),” Rep. Han Jeoung-ae, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea’s poli

Sept. 7, 2025

Special counsel tries to raid PPP floor leader's office for 2nd day

A special counsel team was trying to search the office of the main opposition People Power Party's floor leader for the second day Wednesday over former floor leader Choo Kyung-ho's alleged involvement in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law bid. On Tuesday, special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team attempted the raid at the National Assembly but left due to opposition by PPP officials who argued that they could not enter the National Assembly without approval from the Assembly speaker,

Sept. 3, 2025

Special counsel raids home of ex-PPP floor leader in martial law probe

A special counsel team on Tuesday raided the home of Rep. Choo Kyung-ho of the main opposition People Power Party over his alleged involvement in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law bid in December. Special counsel Cho Eun-suk's team carried out the search and seizure at Choo's home in Seoul over allegations that the then PPP floor leader obstructed his party's lawmakers from attending a parliamentary vote to lift the martial law decree. The team is looking into allegations that

Sept. 2, 2025

Ex-President Yoon absent from insurrection trial for 7th consecutive time

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol was absent from his insurrection trial for the seventh consecutive time Monday, leading the court to proceed without him. Yoon has declined to appear at his trial at the Seoul Central District Court since his second arrest on July 10 on charges related to his failed attempt to impose martial law. The bench said Monday it will continue with the proceedings in his absence, as there has been no change since the previous hearing last Thursday, when the head of the Seou

Sept. 1, 2025

Police raid KORAIL in probe into fatal train accident

Police on Monday raided Korea Railroad Corp.'s (KORAIL) headquarters and Daegu branch office as part of its investigation into last month's fatal train accident that killed two maintenance workers and injured five others in the southeastern county of Cheongdo. The Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency and the Daegu Regional Employment and Labor Administration deployed about 70 investigators and labor inspectors in the morning to begin searches and seizures for the KORAIL offices and their subcontra

Sept. 1, 2025

Special counsel raids military prosecution's office in widening Marine death probe

A special counsel team on Friday raided the offices of the military prosecution as part of a widening investigation of alleged government interference in a 2023 military probe into the tragic death of a young Marine. The team led by special counsel Lee Myeong-hyeon conducted the search and seizure at the defense ministry's compound in central Seoul over allegations that military prosecutors illegally intervened in the transfer of the 2023 case to the police. The special counsel investigation cen

Aug. 29, 2025

Yoon absent from his insurrection trial for 6th consecutive time

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol was absent from his insurrection trial for the sixth consecutive time Thursday, leading the court to proceed without him. Yoon has refused to appear for his trial at the Seoul Central District Court since his second arrest on July 10, citing health issues. The bench opened Thursday's hearing by noting the defendant was absent again and that the detention center where Yoon is jailed had sent a note explaining the difficulty of bringing him by force. Under the Crimin

Aug. 28, 2025