Jan 16, 2020   Social affairs

[Newsmaker] Transgender sergeant seeks to continue serving in military

A South Korean transgender sergeant faces a possible discharge from the South Korean Army after undergoing sex reassignment surgery while enlisted, despite his wish to continue the service as a femal...

Jan 16, 2020   Defense

[Newsmaker] Active-duty soldier undergoes sex reassignment surgery, voices hope for continuing service

An Army non-commissioned officer underwent gender reassignment surgery last year and has expressed a desire to continue to serve in the military as a female solider, officers said Thursday. The serv...

Jan 15, 2020   Social affairs

[Newsmaker] Of kids bullied at school, 1 in 3 targeted ‘as a joke’: survey

One in 3 victims of school violence in South Korea has been bullied “as a joke,” a report from the Education Ministry showed Wednesday. Some 0.6 percent of students enrolled at Korea’s elementa...

Jan 14, 2020   Social affairs

[Newsmaker] Another class-action suit filed against Japanese firms over forced labor

Victims of wartime forced labor and their descendants based in Gwangju and South Jeolla Province filed a class-action lawsuit against Japanese firms on Tuesday, seeking financial restitution amid sou...

Jan 13, 2020   Social affairs

[Newsmaker] Court denies arrest warrant for ex-Big Bang member Seungri

A Seoul court on Monday again denied an arrest warrant for Seungri, the disgraced former Big Bang member accused of overseas gambling and procuring prostitutes for investors. The Seoul Central Distr...

Jan 13, 2020   Social affairs

[Newsmaker] Court to decide on Seungri’s arrest

Former boyband Big Bang member Seungri appeared at court on Monday morning for a hearing on an arrest warrant filed by prosecutors. The 29-year-old arrived at Seoul Central District Court in Seocho,...

Jan 13, 2020   Social affairs

[Newsmaker] Ex-Supreme Court judge found not guilty in judiciary power abuse case

A former top court judge indicted for his suspected role in a judiciary power abuse scandal during the conservative Park Geun-hye administration was found not guilty on Monday. The Seoul Central Dis...

Jan 12, 2020   Film

[Newsmaker] Hacking of top celebrities prompts rumors, warnings

Several South Korean celebrities whose phones were recently hacked are struggling to prevent the spread of their photos and rumors on the internet and messenger apps. Some have issued warnings of leg...

Jan 12, 2020   Politics

[Newsmaker] Rallies held against government, prosecution

Two different groups of citizens took to the streets of Seoul on Saturday, one criticizing the Moon Jae-in administration and the other calling for the resignation of Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-you...

Jan 11, 2020   International

[Newsmaker] Iran says it 'unintentionally' shot down Ukrainian jetliner

Iran announced Saturday that its military 'unintentionally' shot down a Ukrainian jetliner, killing all 176 aboard. The statement came Saturday morning and blamed ``human error'' for the shootdown. ...

Jan 10, 2020   Social affairs

[Newsmaker] Arrest warrant sought for Seungri over procuring prostitutes, illegal gambling

The prosecution sought an arrest warrant for K-pop star Serungri on Friday over suspected illegal overseas gambling and procuring prostitutes for his investors. The Seoul Central Prosecutors’ Office...

Jan 9, 2020   Defense

[Newsmaker] Restricted military areas to be opened up for business development

Restricted military areas in Korea, concentrated in regions adjacent to the capital, will be opened up to the public for business development, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea said Thursday. The...

Jan 9, 2020   Social affairs

[Newsmaker] Top court orders review of ex-senior prosecutor's jail term in MeToo case

South Korea's top court on Thursday ordered a lower court to reconsider its jail sentence for a former senior prosecutor alleged to have sexually abused a junior colleague whose subsequent confession...

Jan 8, 2020   Social affairs

[Newsmaker] Prosecutors seek 23-year prison term for ex-President Lee

Prosecutors have asked an appeal court to increase the jail term for former President Lee Myung-bak to 23 years on charges of bribery and embezzlement, and sought a fine of 32 billion won ($27.3 mill...