Korea beefs up safety inspections of EV batteries

● Updated law: Motor Vehicle Management Act What it does: Allows government to manage and track EV batteries to bolster safety Took effect: Feb. 17 Starting Feb. 17, automakers are required to obtain government certification of the safety of batteries used in their electric vehicles. In addition, automakers must assign an identification number to each individual EV battery. The system will allow the government and automakers to manage and track each battery from production to disposal. The syste

Feb. 25, 2025

Support for SMEs, semiconductors

Proposed Bill: Partial Amendment to the Act on Sale of Building Units Proposed by Rep. Eom Tae-young (People Power Party) ● This amendment alleviates the consent rate required to change the use of partially constructed hotels and accommodation facilities from the current 100 percent to 80 percent. It also grants unit purchasers who do not agree to the change of use the right to request contract termination. Proposed Bill: Partial Amendment to the Small and Medium Enterprise Cooperatives Act Pro

Feb. 24, 2025

Assassin of military strongman Park Chung-hee granted retrial 45 years later

Kim Jae-gyu, then South Korea's spy chief, shot and killed President Park on Oct. 26, 1979 and was executed in May the following year More than four decades after his execution for assassinating President Park Chung-hee, South Korea’s former intelligence chief, Kim Jae-gyu, has been granted a retrial. The Seoul High Court ruled on Wednesday in favor of reopening the case, nearly five years after Kim’s family first petitioned for a review. The decision comes 45 years after Kim was executed in May

Feb. 19, 2025

Promoting biomedicine export, tackling probabilistic game items

Proposed Bill: Special Act on Regulatory Support on Biomanufacturing CDMOs Proposed by Rep. Han Zee-a (People Power Party) ● This bill establishes the definition of an export manufacturing business and promotes biomedicine exports. It implements a system for the production of biomedicine source materials and quality certification, establishes import procedures of raw materials and source medicines used in biomedicine CDMOs, and provides tailored technology support for establishing CDMO manufact

Feb. 17, 2025

National Assembly adopts resolution calling for appointment of 9th Constitutional Justice

The opposition-led National Assembly on Friday adopted a resolution calling for the appointment of an additional justice to the Constitutional Court by acting President Choi Sang-mok. The move came as the court had postponed its ruling on the constitutionality of acting President Choi's decision to withhold the appointment of the ninth justice to the bench. Choi appointed two justices to the court in December but held off on the appointment of opposition-recommended Justice Ma Eun-hyuk, citing t

Feb. 14, 2025

Head of investment consulting firm given 25-yr prison term in massive stock manipulation case

The head of an investment consulting firm was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Thursday over a massive stock manipulation scheme that rocked local financial markets. The Seoul Southern District Court said it also ordered Ra Deok-yeon, the head of the unregistered firm, to pay a fine of 146.5 billion won (US$101 million) and a forfeit of 194.4 billion won. Ra was indicted on charges of pocketing 737.7 billion won from 2019 to 2023 by selling off the stocks of eight listed companies after raisin

Feb. 13, 2025

Trial starts for ex-defense minister over martial law case

A Seoul court on Thursday held the first preparatory hearing for former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who has been charged with insurrection and abuse of power over his alleged key role in the president's botched martial law imposition last month. During the first preparatory hearing at the Seoul Central District Court, Kim, who is currently under detention, appeared with his legal representatives. Kim’s attorneys engaged in an intense argument with prosecutors in discussing how the trial woul

Jan. 16, 2025

Shaman indicted on illegal political funds charges

A shaman allegedly involved in the presidential campaign of now-impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol was indicted on charges of taking illegal political funds from a politician who ran for the 2018 local elections, officials said Friday. The Seoul Southern District Prosecutors Office said it indicted Jeon Seong-bae without physical detention on charges of violating the Political Funds Act. Jeon, better known as Geonjin, is suspected of receiving about 100 million won ($69,027) in illegal political

Jan. 10, 2025

Constitutional Court 'not shaken' by attempts to sway public opinion

The Constitutional Court of Korea stated Thursday that it remains "unshaken" by attempts by various parties to influence or manipulate public opinion outside the courtroom. “As an independent adjudicative body, the Constitutional Court is not swayed by public opinion battles outside the courtroom and is proceeding with a fair trial,” Cheon Jae-yeon, spokesperson of the court, told reporters regarding the ongoing public opinion battle between the National Assembly and President Yoon Suk Yeol’s le

Jan. 9, 2025

Bar association joins calls for special counsel to investigate Yoon

A special counsel must be appointed to investigate insurrection charges against South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, Korean Bar Association President Kim Young-hoon said Tuesday, stressing it as essential to resolving the controversy over related criminal investigations. Recently, concerns have been raised regarding investigative authorities being unable to exercise an arrest warrant for Yoon due to the Presidential Security Service citing Korean law that prohibits investigations into areas dea

Jan. 7, 2025

[Bill in Focus] Food technology, digital medical products

Proposed Bill: Partial Amendment to the Banking Act Proposed by Rep. Park Ju-min (Democratic Party of Korea) ●To improve transparency and rationalize lending rates, this amendment mandates banks to disclose how they calculate their lending rates, including the specific factors that affect additional interest rates. Proposed Bill: Partial Amendment to the Telecommunications Business Act Proposed by Rep. Shin Sung-bum (People Power Party) ●Mobile virtual network operators have recently gained pop

Jan. 6, 2025

Prosecutors indict army chief, ex-martial law commander on insurrection charges

The top commander of the Army and the general who was briefly martial law commander a month ago were indicted by prosecutors on Friday, on charges of insurrection and abuse of power over their alleged roles in the Dec. 3 martial law imposition. Prosecutors indicted Army Chief of Staff Gen. Park An-su, who served as martial law commander, and Lt. Gen. Kwak Jong-keun, chief of the Army Special Warfare Command, under detention, accusing them of playing "key roles in the act of insurrection" tied to

Jan. 3, 2025

Court issues arrest warrant to detain Yoon

A Seoul court approved a request from investigative authorities to detain South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived martial law declaration on Dec. 3, making him the first sitting president to face arrest in Korea's constitutional history. The Seoul Western District Court on Tuesday issued the warrant against Yoon on charges of leading and organizing the martial law declaration in early December as well as abuse of power, according to legal sources. The court’s decision comes a d

Dec. 31, 2024

Mother of legendary labor activist acquitted of martial law violations after 44 years

Court rules 1980 emergency measures unconstitutional The mother and younger brother of legendary labor activist Jeon Tae-il were acquitted of martial law violations more than 44 years after their initial convictions under Chun Doo-hwan's military regime, court officials said Friday. They were among four people whose charges were ruled invalide by the Seoul Eastern District Court, due to the unconstitutional nature of the emergency martial law under which they were prosecuted. Jeon's mother Lee S

Dec. 27, 2024

Constitutional Court nominees say Han qualified to confirm them

Two nominees recommended by the opposition Democratic Party of Korea say acting President Han Duck-soo has right to nominate them.

Dec. 23, 2024