Journalist

Kang So Young
  • Singer-Actor Nana Confronts Robbery Suspect in Court, Says She Acted in Self-Defense
    Singer-Actor Nana Confronts Robbery Suspect in Court, Says She Acted in Self-Defense Singer and actor Nana confronted the defendant in a robbery-and-injury case for the first time in court and showed anger. On 21, the Namyangju branch of the Uijeongbu District Court’s 1st Criminal Division, presided over by Chief Judge Kim Guk-sik, held the third trial of a man identified as A, who has been indicted in custody on charges of robbery and injury. Nana appeared as a witness. As she entered the courtroom, she addressed A, saying, “Is this fun?” She continued, “Is it fun to do something like a robbery and walk around like you want? Look me in the eye. Is it fun?” A did not avert his gaze. The court told her it could not proceed smoothly if emotions ran high, and asked her to calm down. Nana replied, “I can’t not be upset.” Testifying about the incident, Nana said she heard her mother groaning and a man breathing, and sensed danger as she went out carefully. “When I saw it, I was extremely worked up, and I thought I had to go quickly and separate my mom and that man,” she said. She said she did not imagine there would be a knife and thought she had to take it away. “From the way he was acting, I thought that because he was holding a knife, he could do anything to my mom,” she said, indicating she acted in self-defense. Nana said she resisted by grabbing the knife with both hands during the struggle. “When I swung it, he grabbed the blade with both hands. I was holding it with one hand, so I was very weak. I had no choice but to swing wherever I could see,” she said. “So I punched him in the face. He still wouldn’t let go of the knife. In the middle of that, my mom woke up and grabbed the knife too. The three of us struggled over it.” She said she managed to make him release the hand holding the knife while wearing gloves, told her mother to put the knife away, and that the defendant was shaking. She said his neck was injured and bleeding from the knife she swung, and that he told her, “I was wrong, please spare me.” She said she thought she needed to calm him down. She also testified that while trying to calm A, she mouthed to her mother to call 112. Prosecutors say A broke into Nana’s home in Acheon-dong, Guri, Gyeonggi Province, with a weapon at about 6 p.m. on Nov. 15 last year. Nana and her mother subdued him after a struggle, but Nana and her mother were injured in the process. A also claimed he was hurt while they restrained him and filed a complaint accusing Nana of attempted murder and aggravated assault. Police concluded Nana’s actions were self-defense and decided not to forward the case, citing no suspicion. Nana then filed a complaint accusing A of making a false accusation. A has acknowledged breaking into the home but claims he did not intend to commit robbery and did not have a weapon. Nana and her mother had not wanted to face A, but the court sent additional witness summonses, leading them to take the stand.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-21 15:42:19
  • Masked Stepfather Who Tied 10-Year-Old Girl’s Hands Gets Suspended Prison Term
    Masked Stepfather Who Tied 10-Year-Old Girl’s Hands Gets Suspended Prison Term A foreign man in his 30s who covered his face and tied up his stepdaughter’s hands has been given a suspended prison sentence. According to legal officials on the 21st, the Ulsan District Court’s Criminal Division 1 (Presiding Judge Bae On-sil) sentenced a Vietnamese national identified as A to one year in prison, suspended for three years, for violating the Child Welfare Act. Prosecutors said A entered the bedroom of his 10-year-old stepdaughter, identified as B, at their home in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, in July last year. He concealed his face with a windbreaker and a neck warmer and wore work gloves. While the girl was looking at her phone, A repeatedly wrapped her hands and head with clear tape. The child fled the house, believing she was being kidnapped. The girl later suffered severe psychological shock and has been reported to fear being alone. A told investigators he did it “as a prank to play with the child.” The court said wrapping a 10-year-old girl’s body with clear tape “cannot be viewed as a prank.” It cited as mitigating factors that the tape was applied loosely enough for the victim to remove it herself, that A admitted wrongdoing, and that he is not meeting the victim.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-21 14:39:03
  • BIO KOREA 2026 to Bring Together 270 Companies for Global Deals and Investment
    BIO KOREA 2026 to Bring Together 270 Companies for Global Deals and Investment South Korea’s largest biohealth industry convention, BIO KOREA 2026, is set to open in eight days, with organizers and participants expecting expanded cooperation and investment opportunities among global companies. Co-hosted by the Korea Health Industry Development Institute and North Chungcheong Province, the event will run April 28-30 at COEX in Seoul. Now in its 21st year, BIO KOREA has moved beyond a trade show to position itself as a business platform for the global biotech industry. Organizers said about 270 companies from more than 20 countries will take part, showcasing technologies across biotech, digital health care, regenerative medicine and medical devices. South Korean participants include ST Pharm, Yuhan Corp. and GC Cell. Overseas participants include Johnson & Johnson, Amgen and Lonza, drawing attention for potential technology partnerships and investment links. AI-driven drug development companies are also expected in large numbers. Insilico Medicine and Arontier plan to present AI drug design, data analysis and synthetic biology platforms, organizers said. The centerpiece of the event is its “business partnering” program. Organizers said they have roughly doubled the size of the partnering center to expand one-on-one meeting opportunities. Major pharmaceutical and biotech companies including Chong Kun Dang, SK Bioscience, Bayer, Novartis and MSD are set to participate, with expectations for outcomes such as joint research, technology transfer and investment cooperation. Country pavilions will also be operated with participation from institutions from the Netherlands, Australia, Sweden and Italy. Organizers said South Korean companies will be able to meet directly with about 60 overseas biotech companies and research institutes to explore global expansion and technology cooperation. Japan, Germany and Taiwan are also participating, with attention on collaboration as Asia-centered supply chains are reshaped. Pre-registration runs through April 17, and registrants receive a 10% discount. “Participation has expanded around future growth sectors such as AI and regenerative medicine, so we expect higher business demand than in previous years,” a BIO KOREA 2026 official said. Organizers said business partnering has increased each year, with 730 cases in 2023, 1,320 in 2024 and 1,900 in 2025. At last year’s event, global companies including Novo Nordisk, Otsuka Pharmaceutical, Insilico Medicine, Eli Lilly, Takeda and Boehringer Ingelheim took part, along with South Korean companies such as Celltrion, SK Bioscience, ST Pharm, GC Green Cross, Yuhan Corp., LG Chem, Boryung Pharmaceutical and Dongwha Pharm. Organizers said more major domestic and overseas pharmaceutical and biotech companies participated than in 2024. The event also operated a “Rising” pavilion featuring promising small and venture companies, giving visitors a look at innovative technologies and items. Organizers said interest is also building for this year’s edition.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-10 09:03:00