Food poisoning cases among school children in Korea increased sharply last year compared to the year before mainly due to contaminated kimchi served in school meals, the Ministry of Education announced on Sunday.Last year, 54 cases of food poisoning were reported throughout the nation, an 80 percent increase from 30 cases the year before. Food poisoning at schools had been on a gradual decline since 2006 until last year, when 3,185 schoolchildren received hospital treatments for the illness, a r

Prosecutors investigating CJ Group’s suspected tax evasion and other irregularities arrested a senior executive on Sunday for allegedly managing the conglomerate’s slush funds.Shin was head of CJ’s Hong Kong division and held a key position in the group’s financial department between 2004 and 2007. He is reported to have led CJ Group’s suspicious business expansion in Hong Kong. CJ Group, the country’s 14th-largest conglomerate, faces a growing investigation as the prosecution looks into suspici

The prosecution on Saturday indicted pastor Cho Yong-gi of Yoido Full Gospel Church in Yeouido, Seoul, on charges of breach of trust and tax evasion.Cho, the founder and pastor emeritus of the country’s largest church, is responsible for losses of some 15.7 billion won ($14 million) incurred by the church, according to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office.The prosecutors said Cho had instructed the church officials to purchase stocks owned by his eldest son Hee-jun at prices nearly fou

A man has been arrested on charges of exposing himself in a Seoul park, police said Friday.The 40-year-old suspect, only identified by his surname Cheong, is accused of lewd conduct and walking around naked at the park in Hongje-dong in western Seoul on May 30, according to the Seoul’s Seodaemun Police Station.Cheong was previously convicted five times for sexually assaulting minors, it said.The suspect also allegedly interfered with the work of police during an investigation such as by cursing

The prosecution on Friday issued an arrest warrant for a CJ Group executive it was detaining for allegedly managing the conglomerate’s slush funds.The executive surnamed Shin is the first executive to be put in custody in the scandal. He is suspected of having detailed knowledge of its illegal funds and assets held under borrowed names for the group’s chairman Lee Jay-hyun and his family. The arrest warrant was for tax evasion, the prosecution said. Earlier on Friday, investigators questioned Sh

The government said Friday it will review all quality warranties for parts used for nuclear reactors and devise comprehensive measures against deep-rooted irregularities in the industry in the wake of the recent scandal over fake test results which led to the shutdown of reactors.Since last week, the government has suspended the operation of six nuclear reactors, including three newly built reactors, after they were found to have been supplied with substandard control cables under falsified warr

Police on Thursday banned KT&G CEO Min Young-jin and seven others from leaving the country pending a bribery inquiry into the state-run tobacco and ginseng products maker. KT&G is suspected of giving money to government officials over a real estate deal conducted in 2010. One of the civil servants, identified by the surname Lee, was detained on Wednesday. The police suspect that Min had knowledge of the developments as the deal was overseen by the company’s real estate project team controlled di

Prosecutors are poised to expand their probe of irregularities involving a parts supplier to nuclear plants to Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co., the state-run operator.The scandal broke in May when it was revealed that Saehan TEP certified JS Cable’s products as being fit for use despite failing to meet quality standards. The revelation led to four nuclear reactors being shut down. Investigators from Busan District Prosecutors’ Office on Wednesday raided KEPCO Engineering and Construction Co.,

Universities here will select more than 4,500 overseas Koreans for special admission this year, the Korea Council for University Education announced Thursday.Reporting the college admissions process for the 2014 academic year, the KCUE noted on Thursday that 133 schools would admit a total of 4,562 overseas Koreans to undergraduate courses through the scheme. The admissions process will begin in July, and students with foreign citizenship or who have studied at foreign secondary schools for more

Korea’s middle class sharply reduced donations to charity in 2011, squeezed by increasing debts and education costs. Despite the economic slowdown, Koreans across all income strata gave back to society more than in previous years ― with the exception of the middle-income bracket, said the Seoul Welfare Foundation, a group affiliated with the city government.According to its analysis of data from the Beautiful Foundation, a private charity, the middle-class participation rate increased from 54.2