-
≡ Prosecution To Re-Summon Ex-Chief Justice As Early As Tomorrow
Prosecutors are expected to summon former Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae for another round of questioning as early as tomorrow and decide whether to request an arrest warrant for him.
Yang has been sent back home after facing 14 and a half hours of interrogation by prosecutors probing a judicial power abuse scandal surrounding the top court under the former Park Geun-hye government.
Investigators are said to have questioned Yang on a slew of allegations, such as delaying a damages suit filed by Korean victims of Japan's wartime forced labor at the behest of the Park administration.
He is also accused of using highly sensitive trials as bargaining chips in persuading the Park government to establish a separate court of appeals.
He has denied any wrongdoing, saying that he does not remember or was not aware of such activities.■
[2019.01.12]
-
≡ S. Korea, US To Hold Working Group Meeting Next Week
South Korea and the United States are expected to hold their "working group" video conference on North Korea related issues next week.
According to diplomatic sources, Seoul's top nuclear envoy, Lee Do-hoon, and his American counterpart, Stephen Biegun, will co-chair a video conference on denuclearization of the North.
The two are expected to discuss details on inter-Korean relations amid the halted talks between Washington and Pyongyang.
The meeting has been reportedly postponed due to U.S. government's partial shutdown.■
[2019.01.12]
-
≡ Global Economic Uncertainty At Highest Since 1997: Data
Amid growing concerns about the sluggish economy, the global economic policy uncertainty has shot up to the highest level in more than two decades.
Last month, the Global Economic Policy Uncertainty Index stood at 377.3, which is the biggest figure since the data has been compiled in 1997.
The GEPU index is based on twenty countries including the U.S., China, the UK, Germany, Japan and South Korea.
It looks at factors such as the frequency of the word 'uncertainty' in economy, trade and government-related news articles.
South Korea's index meanwhile was at 243 last month, the highest since February 2017.■
[2019.01.12]
-
≡ Coast Guard Rescues 2 Of 3 Missing In Pohang Boat Fire (Update2)
The coast guard has found two of the three people that were missing from a fishing boat that caught fire this morning off the eastern coast near Pohang.
One of them was rescued at around 12:10 p.m., while another was found ten minutes later.
They were reportedly unconscious as they were transferred to a hospital.
The Pohang Coast Guard Station said it received a distress call at around 8:30 a.m. that the boat was in flames.
Another ship that was passing the area rescued three out of six people that were onboard.
The boat in flames reportedly sank around 10 a.m.
Rescue operations for the remaining one missing are continuing.■
[2019.01.12]
-
≡ Weather Update 1400
Taking a look at the weather, it's cloudy skies in most parts of the country with rain drops in Gangwon province.
However, clear skies are expected in the afternoon.
Meanwhile, bad air quality is affecting many parts of the nation, including the capital, where an ultra-fine dust advisory has been issued at 12 p.m.
Advisories have also been in place for Gyeonggi, Chungcheong and north Jeolla province since last night.
Enjoy mild temperatures though, which are lingering in the high single digits this afternoon.
As for the current reading in central Seoul, it is _____ degrees Celsius or _____ degrees Fahrenheit.■[2019.01.12]
