Author: GIKorea

Here is the latest on the Korean government’s attempt to put Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong behind bars:

 A court in Seoul early Tuesday refused to issue an arrest warrant for Samsung Group’s de facto leader, Lee Jae-yong, who are under investigation over succession-related allegations.

The Seoul Central District Court turned down the prosecution’s request to put Lee, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, behind bars, citing that there is not sufficient probable cause for his arrest.

Two other Samsung executives, Choi Gee-sung and Kim Jong-joong, from the group’s now-disbanded control tower, the Future Strategy Office, also avoided arrest.

“There was insufficient explanation on the need to arrest the defendants against the principle of trial without detention,” Judge Won Jung-sook said.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link,

Notice that if the media speculates or even reports facts about the Moon administration they go to jail, but if the media speculates about Lee Jae-yong it is perfectly acceptable:

Samsung Electronics on Sunday appealed to the press not to release “groundless” or “speculative” reports centering on Samsung’s de facto leader Lee Jae-yong, who is being questioned over possible legal violations in the controversial 2015 merger of two affiliates and an accounting fraud to cement his control over the group.

The appeal, which also highlighted Samsung’s contribution to the Korean economy, came a day before the court holds a hearing Monday to decide whether to issue the arrest warrant. Prosecutors on Thursday requested a warrant to detain Lee after he, along with other Samsung executives, requested that prosecutors convene a panel of outside experts to decide the validity of the investigation.  

“Samsung is in a crisis,” said the statement Sunday. “Recently, press reports that haven’t been confirmed or those based on suspicious sources continue to be released. Some of them are based on the premise Lee is guilty. Please refrain from immoderate reports that aren’t based on the truth. The damage imposed on Samsung, its executives and staff members from those reports is not small.”

Joong Ang Ilbo

You can read more at the link. I have no idea if Lee is guilty of what he is accused of, but what I do know is that Korea is a rule by law nation instead of a rule of law nation. If powers that be want him guilty they can likely make it happen unless Lee gives them what they want.

Here is the latest on the alleged fraud surrounding the fundraising efforts in support of the Korean comfort women by politically connected Yoon Mee-hyang:

The head of a shelter for Japanese wartime sexual slavery survivors run by a civic group under a prosecution probe was found dead in her apartment in Paju, Gyeonggi, Sunday, said police Sunday.    
   
Sohn, the 60-year-old head of the Peaceful Our Home located in Mapo District, western Seoul, was found dead Saturday night at 10:35 p.m. in the bathroom nearest to the entrance of her fourth-floor apartment, according to the Paju police precinct.  
   
The shelter is run by the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan, which had been undergoing a probe by the prosecution for allegations of accounting fraud and misuse of donations.  
   
Prosecutors raided the Korean Council’s office, its museum and the shelter for the so-called comfort women victims on May 20 and 21.    
   
Sohn’s acquaintances contacted police Saturday afternoon when she couldn’t be reached. She was already dead when police discovered her.    
   
Police said that there was no evidence of an intruder into Sohn’s home and that her death was not being treated as suspicious.     
   
A police official said that based on the circumstances, Sohn’s death is highly likely to be a suicide. 

Joong Ang Ilbo

You can read more at the link, but this reminds me of when former President Roh Moo-hyun committed suicide to protect all the corrupt people around him. I guess we will see if this suicide has the same effect for Yoon Mee-hyang.

Here is the latest on the coronavirus in South Korea:

South Korea reported 57 additional cases of the new coronavirus Sunday, marking the second consecutive day the number was above 50, raising concerns over new cluster infections in the densely populated greater Seoul area ahead of the final phase of school reopening. 

The new infections raised the country’s total caseload to 11,776, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said. This is the highest number of daily infections since the 58 reported May 29.

The recent spike is mainly due to growth in new clusters at table tennis clubs and health product retailer Richway specialized in door-to-door sales for mostly elderly consumers, both based in Seoul, while group infections from nightclubs, a distribution center and religious gatherings continue to pose problems.

Yonhap

These cluster infections are going to continue to happen, but what you never hear about is how is it effecting hospital capacity? The virus is going to continue to spread, the key is slowing its spread to a level that the hospitals can keep up with treating the critically ill. It appears that South Korea is having no issues currently treating the critically ill.

Please leave anything you want to discuss in the comments section.