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Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae to Address Blue House's Request Next Week Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae announced that he will provide an official response next week regarding the Blue House's request for a new Supreme Court nominee. He submitted a statement indicating that he will not attend the National Assembly's Legislative and Judiciary Committee meeting scheduled for August 31, citing the separation of powers and judicial independence.Speaking to reporters as he left the Supreme Court building in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on August 28 at 6:11 p.m., Cho expressed, "I apologize for causing concern among the public" regarding the Blue House's request for a new nominee for the Supreme Court. He added, "I am currently reviewing the details," and stated, "I will inform you officially once things are organized next week." When asked if he plans to reconstitute the Supreme Court Nomination Committee, he reiterated, "I will clarify that next week."Earlier that day, the Blue House effectively rejected Cho's nomination of Son Bong-ki for the Supreme Court and requested that he submit a new nominee. This request came just ten days after Cho formally nominated Son as a successor to former Justice Noh Tae-ack on August 18.Discussions surrounding the Supreme Court nominee have been ongoing for over six months. The Nomination Committee, formed prior to Noh's retirement, recommended four candidates on January 21, but disagreements between the Blue House and the judiciary over the final nominee have delayed the nomination process.Additionally, Cho has decided not to attend the National Assembly's Legislative and Judiciary Committee meeting on August 31. In a statement submitted to the committee, he argued that requiring the Supreme Court Chief Justice to testify about the exercise of his constitutional authority to nominate candidates contradicts the principles of separation of powers and judicial independence.He also contended that disclosing specific personnel procedures or details about the candidates currently under consideration would be inappropriate.Cho explained that the Constitution grants the Chief Justice the authority to nominate candidates, the National Assembly the power to consent to appointments, and the President the authority to make appointments, thereby ensuring a system of checks and balances among constitutional bodies to uphold the principle of separation of powers.He further stated that testifying about the reasons for referring cases to the Supreme Court's full bench would also violate Article 103 of the Constitution, which guarantees judicial independence.Previously, on August 21, the Legislative and Judiciary Committee decided to conduct a review of Cho's written nomination and the referral of cases involving former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and former Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min for their alleged involvement in insurrection-related duties.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-28 20:36:00 -
Prosecutors Abandon Appeal in Case of Former Lawmaker Noh Woong-rae, Confirming Acquittal Noh Woong-rae, a former lawmaker of the Democratic Party, has been acquitted of bribery and illegal political funding charges. This decision comes after prosecutors announced on August 28 that they would not appeal the appellate court's ruling.The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office stated, "We have decided not to appeal the ruling regarding the bribery case involving former lawmaker Noh."Prosecutors explained that they considered recent court rulings that strictly evaluate the legality of evidence obtained through voluntary submission from seized materials. They assessed that even if an appeal were filed, the likelihood of overturning the ruling was low.A key issue in Noh's case was a recording containing the so-called 'sound of money envelopes.' Prosecutors presented this recording, obtained from the phone of Park's wife, as crucial evidence. However, the court ruled that the material was illegally obtained and therefore lacked evidentiary value.Noh was indicted for allegedly receiving a total of 60 million won in five installments from businessman Park between February and December 2020 in exchange for facilitating permits for a logistics center and providing favors related to a power plant supply project. He faced charges of bribery and violations of political funding laws.Prosecutors secured the phone of Park's wife during the investigation into a separate case involving Lee Jeong-geun, the former deputy secretary-general of the Democratic Party, and subsequently identified allegations against Noh.Following this, prosecutors obtained the phone from Park's wife and based on recordings of conversations between Noh and her, they indicted Noh without detention in March 2023.At the time, then-Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon, now an independent lawmaker, referenced the recording before a vote on Noh's arrest, claiming, "The sound of money envelopes is recorded as well."However, the first trial court raised concerns about the phone being obtained during the investigation of another crime and used as evidence without proper procedures. The court deemed this 'illegally obtained evidence' and acquitted Noh.The first trial court noted, "The violation of procedures by the investigative agency in obtaining evidence contravenes the warrant principle and due process, and the severity of this violation is not trivial."The appellate court reached a similar conclusion. On August 21, the Seoul High Court ruled the recording as illegally obtained evidence and acquitted Noh. While it acknowledged errors in the first trial's exclusion of electronic information from the phone, it concluded that there was still insufficient evidence to prove the charges.President Lee Jae-myung commented on social media shortly after the appellate ruling, stating, "How can anyone imagine how unfair former lawmaker Noh, who was prosecuted by a political prosecution and stripped of his political life by the party, must have felt?"* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-28 20:12:00
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Death Toll from Floods in Nepal and Tibet Rises to 552, Total Missing Nears 2,100 The death toll from the massive floods that struck the Nepal-Tibet border this week has risen to 552. The total number of dead and missing has surpassed 2,000. According to reports from BBC and The Guardian, Nepalese police announced that as of 3 p.m. local time, 547 bodies had been recovered. This marks an increase of nearly 80 from the 469 reported earlier that morning and exceeds the 538 reported by the Nepal National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority. Additionally, a total of 977 people are currently missing in Nepal, including 517 foreigners. In Tibet, China Central Television (CCTV) reported that five people have died and 558 are missing due to a landslide that occurred on August 26. Thus, the combined death toll from the floods and landslides in both Nepal and China stands at 552, with 1,535 individuals still unaccounted for, bringing the total of dead and missing to 2,087. Both Nepal and China are intensifying their rescue efforts, but operations are being hampered by significant damage to roads in the disaster areas and the risk of secondary flooding due to ongoing rainfall. As search and rescue operations continue, the scale of the disaster is expected to increase. Nepalese authorities have reported difficulties in identifying and recovering the bodies, as many have been swept downstream by the river. The Chinese embassy in Nepal has warned of rising water levels in a lake formed by the landslide blocking a river, indicating a potential for further flooding and stating that search and rescue operations have entered a "critical phase." The International Red Cross has estimated that more than 90,000 residents in Nepal have been affected by the floods and expressed serious concerns about the possibility of secondary flooding. Meanwhile, the South Korean government announced that all ten South Koreans stranded at a hydropower construction site in Nepal have been safely evacuated to a secure area. However, the whereabouts of nine South Koreans who lost contact after the floods remain unconfirmed. 2026-08-28 20:00:00
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26 Securities Firms Offer Fee Discounts for Visually Impaired Customers The financial investment industry is enhancing accessibility for disabled customers by reviewing service and infrastructure improvements and sharing best practices.The Financial Investment Association announced that it held a meeting on improving financial accessibility for the disabled on August 28 at the Financial Investment Center in Yeouido, Seoul.Attendees included Jeong Hyeong-kyu, head of the Financial Investment Association, and chief consumer protection officers from 20 securities firms. They reviewed the implementation status of common tasks outlined in the Financial Services Commission's strategy for improving financial accessibility for the disabled, announced in April of last year, and shared examples of service and infrastructure improvements for disabled customers.First, they assessed the expansion of preferential services aimed at reducing commission fees for visually impaired individuals. These customers often rely on offline transactions or automated response systems (ARS), which typically incur higher fees than online trading.To alleviate transaction costs, securities firms are expanding their fee discount services. Currently, 26 securities firms have implemented and are operating these services. Some firms apply preferential rates for disabled investors, offering benefits on transfer fees and other financial transaction costs.Efforts are also underway to introduce tablet-based text consultation services to enhance accessibility for hearing-impaired customers. A total of 23 securities firms, including 10 comprehensive financial investment firms and 13 firms with more than 10 domestic branches, are working on this initiative, with 10 firms having already completed implementation.The manual for assisting disabled customers has also been improved. All 36 securities firms engaged in retail operations have revised their manuals to enhance practical use. Detailed manuals for seven types of disabilities—mobility, visual, hearing, speech, brain injury, intellectual, and autism—have been developed, outlining the infrastructure and service usage methods available to disabled customers.Examples of successful initiatives undertaken by individual firms were also shared. These include using artificial intelligence (AI) to provide research materials and investment information to visually impaired investors through screen readers, as well as making braille guidance materials available at branches.Collaborations with visually impaired investors and disability organizations were highlighted, focusing on addressing inconveniences encountered while using screen readers and incorporating feedback into mobile app improvements. This is particularly relevant given the high proportion of mobile trading in the financial investment sector. One example included integrating the titles and content of community posts in the app for easier reading.Customized service examples for different disabilities were also presented, such as priority call center connections for visually impaired customers and tailored educational programs combining retirement pension systems with basic economic education for workers with developmental disabilities.The Financial Investment Association plans to disseminate the best practices shared during this meeting to its member firms and support their service improvements while identifying additional areas for enhancement. They also intend to collaborate with relevant organizations, such as the Employment Support Center for the Disabled, to promote increased employment of disabled individuals in the financial investment industry.Jeong Hyeong-kyu, head of the Financial Investment Association's Self-Regulation Division, emphasized, "When a good initiative from one company becomes a standard across the industry, users will truly feel the change," urging member firms to actively engage and participate.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-28 19:28:20
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Nepal Floods: All 10 Stranded South Koreans Rescued All 10 South Koreans stranded at a hydropower construction site in Nepal due to flooding have been moved to safety.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that on August 28, "one of our citizens remaining at the temporary shelter and one embassy staff member were transported to a safe area using a Nepalese military helicopter." The evacuated citizen is a site manager from Doosan Enerbility.Previously, the South Koreans had been isolated since August 26 when roads around the site were washed away by the floods. Nine of them were evacuated the day before via a Nepalese military helicopter, but the site manager chose to stay until local staff were rescued, remaining at the temporary shelter.To support the safe evacuation of the site manager, one staff member from the South Korean embassy in Nepal also stayed at the site. Both individuals were successfully transported to a safe area, completing the evacuation of all 10 stranded South Koreans.Meanwhile, the whereabouts of nine South Koreans who lost contact following the floods remain unconfirmed. 2026-08-28 19:28:00
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Iran's Foreign Minister Leaves Door Open for Diplomacy with U.S. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has indicated the possibility of resolving tensions with the United States through diplomatic means.On August 28, Araghchi stated on social media platform X, "It is not impossible to put diplomacy back on track."However, he emphasized that for a diplomatic solution to be achieved, the U.S. must recognize that pressure alone will not resolve the issues. He asserted, "The U.S. must engage in dialogue with a mindset of building trust and respect, acknowledging our rights and keeping its promises."Six months have passed since the outbreak of war in Iran, yet the U.S. and Iran continue to clash over control of the Strait of Hormuz, failing to establish a path to peace.Meanwhile, neighboring countries such as Pakistan, Qatar, and Oman are actively working to mediate dialogue between the two nations. On August 24, General Asim Munir, the Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan, visited Iran, followed by Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi on August 25. On August 27, Qatar's Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani also visited Iran, meeting with the Iranian president, the head of the peace negotiation team, and the foreign minister.However, significant barriers remain before negotiations can resume. The U.S. is intensifying pressure through its so-called "economic isolation strategy," which aims to cut off Iran's economic ties with the international community.Iran maintains that the U.S. must accept its demands, including a return to the memorandum of understanding (MOU) for peace, before it can reopen the Strait of Hormuz. With both sides holding firm to their demands, the prospect of immediate dialogue remains uncertain.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-28 19:24:00
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Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae Apologizes for Public Concern, Promises Statement Next Week Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae expressed regret for causing public concern regarding the Blue House's request to reconsider the nomination of a Supreme Court justice, stating he will provide an official position next week.On August 28, at approximately 6:11 p.m., Cho spoke to reporters as he was leaving the Supreme Court building in Seocho-gu, Seoul. In response to questions about the request for reconsideration, he said, "First, I apologize to the public for causing concern," adding, "I am currently reviewing the details." He continued, "Once things are organized next week, I will inform you officially."When asked if he plans to reconstitute the Supreme Court Justice Recommendation Committee, he replied, "I will clarify that once things are organized next week."Earlier that day, the Blue House effectively rejected Cho's nomination of Son Bong-ki for the Supreme Court justice position and requested a new nomination. This came just ten days after Cho had submitted Son's nomination as a successor to former Justice Noh Tae-ack on August 18.Discussions surrounding the Supreme Court justice nominees have been ongoing for over six months. The Justice Recommendation Committee, formed ahead of Noh's retirement, recommended four candidates on January 21. However, the nomination process has faced delays as the Blue House and the judiciary have been unable to reach an agreement on the final nominee.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-28 19:16:00
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Park Jae-kyung Appointed as South Korea's Ambassador to Nepal Park Jae-kyung, the current South Korean ambassador to Zimbabwe, has been appointed as the new ambassador to Nepal, where nine South Koreans have gone missing due to severe flooding.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on August 28 that Park will travel to Nepal over the weekend to assume his new role, considering the current situation in the country.The South Korean embassy in Nepal has been operating under a chargé d'affaires since the previous ambassador, Park Tae-young, was recently reassigned as the consul general in Istanbul. The small embassy, which includes six officials, has raised concerns about its capacity to respond to the recent incidents involving missing and isolated South Koreans due to the flooding.Park Jae-kyung joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1994 and has held various positions, including minister-counselor at the South Korean embassy in Indonesia, director of the ASEAN Bureau, and minister at the South Korean embassy in Canada. He has served as the ambassador to Zimbabwe since June 2023.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-28 19:08:00
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Muan County Selected as Candidate Site for Gwangju Military Airport Relocation The site for the relocation of Gwangju Military Airport has been confirmed in Muan County, Jeollanam-do, where a semiconductor cluster is planned to be established.On August 28, the Ministry of National Defense held the second selection committee meeting for the relocation site at its headquarters in Yongsan, Seoul, and announced that the area of Mangun-myeon in Muan County has been designated as a candidate site for the Gwangju Military Airport relocation.The ministry explained that the selection criteria for the candidate site met both institutional feasibility and social consensus.Institutional feasibility was confirmed after reviewing the necessary permits and approvals related to Air Force operations and relevant laws, with no items deemed 'impossible' at this stage. Social consensus was achieved through the 'conditional agreement' of the Muan County mayor, the head of the local government.With Muan selected as the candidate site, the relocation project for Gwangju Military Airport has entered a more active phase.The government plans to use the selection of the candidate site as an opportunity to discuss specific support measures for the Muan area with relevant agencies. Initially, it aims to outline a support package worth '1 trillion won + α' for regional development and resident assistance in Muan County.In addition to the 1 trillion won support agreed upon by six agencies, including Gwangju City, Jeollanam-do, Muan County, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of National Defense, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, further national-level support measures will be developed. A support committee for the relocation project will be established, chaired by the Director of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, to determine the specifics and scale of the support initiatives.The Ministry of National Defense stated, 'In accordance with the principle that special sacrifices should be met with special support, we will responsibly promote the support projects to ensure they lead to tangible results rather than remaining at a declarative level.'Plans for supporting the surrounding areas of the relocation site will be developed, followed by a referendum among residents, after which the Muan County mayor will proceed with the application for the relocation. The final confirmation of the relocation site will follow.The government aims to finalize the relocation site for Gwangju Military Airport by the end of this year and complete the Muan Military Airport by December 2032.The area of Mangun-myeon in Muan County was selected as a preliminary candidate site for the relocation of Gwangju Military Airport in April. However, the selection committee's final decision was delayed as Muan County demanded the fulfillment of three preconditions: the priority relocation of Muan International Airport over Gwangju's civilian airport, a guarantee of 1 trillion won in support, and significant national-level incentives.As the Gwangju Military Airport site was designated for the semiconductor cluster in the Honam region, calls for expediting the military airport's relocation have increased. President Lee Jae-myung also urged for the swift advancement of the military airport relocation issue during a Cabinet meeting.The military authorities have decided to decentralize the functions of the Air Force's 1st Fighter Wing ahead of the relocation of Gwangju Military Airport to facilitate the early construction of the semiconductor cluster. The plan is to temporarily relocate the functions of the 1st Fighter Wing stationed at Gwangju Military Airport to the Air Force bases in Yecheon, Seosan, and Jungwon by mid-2028.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-28 19:00:20
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Jang Dong-hyuk Visits Jeju Site of Missing Person Case, Calls for Thorough Investigation 장동혁 국민의힘 대표는 28일 '실종 신고 허위 종결 사건'이 발생한 제주를 찾아 "투명한 수사를 통해 진상을 밝혀야 한다"고 강조했다. 그는 경찰의 부실 수사를 지적하면서 검찰의 보완수사권 폐지에 따른 우려를 제기했다. 장 대표는 이날 경기 고양에서 열린 당 연찬회를 마친 뒤 제주로 이동해 실종 신고 허위 종결 사건의 피해자가 발견된 한림읍 야자수밭을 찾았다. 장 대표는 "발견 당시 피해자의 발이 땅에 닿아 있었고, 야자수 높이와 가지 상태를 봐도 합리적인 의심이 드는 지점이 여러 가지"라며 "가능성을 열어놓았다고 말하면서 사실상 자살로 단정하는 경찰의 태도는 안일하다"고 비판했다. 그러면서 경찰을 향해 "자살로 단정하지 말고 한 점 의혹도 남지 않도록 원점에서 다시 철저하게 수사해야 한다"고 촉구했다.실종 당시 담당 경찰관이 실종자와 연락이 닿았다고 허위 보고해 사건을 종결한 것에 대해 "그때 수색을 계속했다면 사망에 이르는 것을 막고, 범죄와 관련성이 있는지도 확인할 수 있었을 것"이라며 "수색을 막으려 한 것 아니냐는 의심을 가질 수밖에 없다"고 지적했다. 아울러 검찰 보완수사권 폐지와 관련해 "과거 보완수사를 통해 재조명된 사건들은 초기에 합리적인 의심이 있었지만 이를 무시해 묻힐 뻔한 경우가 대부분"이라며 "경찰이 인력은 부족하고 사건이 많다고 호소하는 상황에서 검찰 사건까지 모두 넘겨받으면 결국 피해는 국민에게 돌아갈 것"이라고 했다.장 대표는 이후 제주경찰청을 방문해 고평기 제주경찰청장과 면담했다. 그러나 경찰에서 면담을 비공개하기로 결정하면서 당 지도부와 충돌했다. 장 대표와 동행한 서천호 전략기획부총장, 김장겸 정무실장, 박충권 수석대변인, 박준태 비서실장 등은 면담 공개가 불발되자 청사 로비에서 강하게 항의했다. 청장과 비공개 면담을 하고 나온 장 대표는 기자들과 만나 "이 사건을 신속하게 한 점 의혹 없이 처리해달라는 국민의 목소리를 전달하기 위해 온 것"이라며 "우려를 전달하는 최소한의 모습을 알려야 국민이 안심할 수 있다"고 말했다. 이어 경찰이 면담을 비공개한 것에 대해 "이런 태도를 보이는 경찰을 보고 국민께서 어떤 기대를 갖고 안심하겠느냐"며 "이게 경찰이 국민을 대하는 방식이다. 보완수사권이나 검찰의 수사 지휘 없이 대한민국의 모든 사건을 이제 경찰이 처리하게 될 것"이라고 꼬집었다. 이와 함께 "제주경찰청에서 이 사건을 신속하고 투명하게 수사해서 진상을 밝히겠다는 의지를 보여야 한다"고 덧붙였다.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-08-28 19:00:00