부산 금정경찰서는 서울 번화가에서 행인의 스마트폰을 상습적으로 훔친 혐의(절도)로 김모(49) 씨를 구속했다고 18일 밝혔다. 김 씨는 지난 10월부터 최근까지 서울 홍대·이태원 등지의 복잡한 인파 속에서 행인을 뒤따라가며 외투 주머니에 손을 넣는 일명 '맨손 빼기' 수법으로 스마트폰 24대(시가 1천950만원 상당)를 훔친 혐의를 받고 있다. 사진은 기사와 직접적인 관련 없음 (연합뉴스TV 자료사진)경찰은 훔친 스마트폰을 해외로 밀반출한 일당을 수사하다가 김 씨로부터 스마트폰을 매입한 단서를 잡고 추적해 서울의 한 피시방에서 김 씨를 붙잡았다.경찰은 김 씨가 훔친 스마트폰을 팔아넘긴 혐의로 장물범 최모(61) 씨를 입건했다. (연합뉴스)

재력가인 지인을 살해하려 한 혐의로 기소된 50대에게 법원이 항소심에서도 징역 4년을 선고했다.대구고법 형사1부(박준용 부장판사)는 살인미수 혐의로 재판에 넘겨진 A씨 항소심에서 피고인 항소를 기각했다고 18일 밝혔다. 대구 법원. (연합뉴스 자료사진)A씨는 지난 2월 19일 오후 10시 48분께 "김치통을 꺼내 달라"며 지인 B씨를 대형 컨테이너로 유인한 뒤 미리 준비한 둔기로 뒷머리 부분을 한 차례 내리친 혐의로 기소됐다.B씨가 급히 밖으로 몸을 피해 전치 3주 상처 외에 추가 피해는 모면했다. A씨는 자신에게 식당 운영 자금을 빌려준 B씨가 넉넉한 재산을 가지고 쉽게 돈을 버는 것을 보고 이를 시기해 범행을 저지른 것으로 드러났다. A씨는 식당 영업 부진으로 경제적으로 어려움을 겪던 상황이었다. 그는 "피해자에게서 경제적으로 도움을 받던 상황에서 살해할 이유가 없다"며 살해 의도가 없었다고 주장했지만, 재판부는 살인의 미필적 고의가 인정된다고 판단했다.재판부는 "자칫 피해자는

Virtual reality technology will likely be applied to treatment for some alcohol-addicted offenders on probation, according to government officials Sunday. The Ministry of Justice announced that it plans to adopt VR technology for the treatment of offenders who committed crimes under the influence of alcohol, from upcoming January.  A demonstration of VR treatment for alcoholic convicts at Seoul Probation Office Saturday (The Ministry of Justice)According to the ministry, there are more than 20,0

The whereabouts of two released dolphins are still unknown, casting doubt whether it was appropriate to free them after some 20 years of captivation. Two Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins were released in to the wildness at waters off Jeju Island last July. The two dolphins, caught in the late 1990s by fishing nets, were sent to a zoo in Seoul, to perform dolphin shows. (Yonhap)The authorities are failing to keep track of the two dolphins, not knowing whether they are dead or alive, even though 1

A professor at a prestigious university has been accused of sexually harassing female students in his classes, according to news reports Thursday. According to the reports, a handwritten poster titled, “Apologize for treating female students as objects,” was attached to the entrance to the library at Yonsei University, Seoul.  (Yonhap)According to the poster created by the victims, the professor continuously assaulted the female students in his classes. It said he had commanded them to tell him

A coati was bitten to death by a fox at an animal cafe in Seoul, fueling accusations that the cafe was negligent in protecting its animals. Local animal protection activist group Aware announced Thursday that a coati, a raccoon-like animal, died after it was bitten by a fox, at an animal cafe in Mapo-gu, Seoul.  (Aware)The veterinarian who performed surgery on the coati said its front leg, hind leg and tailbone were bitten off by the fox. Cafes at which customers can pet unusual animals are an i

The South Korean government drew up a college scholarship plan for the victims of Pohang earthquake, touching off a dispute. The Education Ministry announced Wednesday that it will offer scholarship to the college students affected by the November earthquake at the city of Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province.  College students at a college in Pohang evacuated to a nearby church after the quake (Yonhap)College students in the Pohang area can receive one-year scholarship from the government by submi

Starbucks Coffee Korea said Tuesday that it is to open its largest branch in the heart of Seoul next Wednesday. The store, dubbed “The Jongno branch,” is around 1,100 square meters, being four times larger than the average size of other branches. It will be located at Jongno Tower, Jongno-gu.  (Yonhap)The store space is to be classified in six zones -- Grand Bar, Dining Zone, Lounge Space, Coffee Stage and Coffee Gathering. Customers can enjoy more than 100 kinds of beverages and merchandising p

Two brothers from Saudi Arabia were charged with raping a Korean woman Monday. Seoul Seongbuk Police Station said that two brothers, 25 and 23, were arrested Monday for sexual assault of a woman in her 20s. Seoul Seongbuk Police Station (Yonhap)According to police, the suspects met the victim through a chatting app and drank at their house in Seongbuk-gu. The brothers are exchange students at a local university. The victim reported to the police next morning that she had been raped. A police off

The North Korean defector soldier has been given a lifetime supply of choco pies, a popular snack in South Korea, as long as he stays in the South.Local snack firm Orion, manufacturer of Choco Pie, announced that it will give a free lifetime supply of the snack to Oh Chung-sung, the North Korean soldier who defected to the South in November. A screengrab of Choco Pie advertisement (Run Entertainment) Being aware that the soldier likes choco pies, Orion sent 100 boxes of the snack to the Ajou Uni

Taxis will soon offer a flat rate to passengers heading to Seoul Station from Incheon International Airport, Herald Business reported Tuesday. According to the report, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport plans to roll out a flat-fare option for taxis. (Yonhap)With the rate based on either distance or time, passengers will pay a fixed price for the ride. Currently, passengers are charged via meters that are officially approved by authorities. “With the taxi meter system, there is

외나무다리에서의 요가는 전문가들도 ‘다소’ 꺼린다. 미국 콜로라도 계곡에서 한 여성이 외나무다리 위에서 고난도 요가 동작을 선보이려 했다. (사진=유튜브 영상 캡쳐)그렇지만 그녀가 무게 중심을 옮기자, 순간적으로 균형이 흐트러졌고 그녀는 넘어지고 만다. 다행인지 불행인지 다리 밑은 계곡이었고, 그녀는 빠른 물살에 휩쓸려 떠내려갔다. 다행히도 그녀는 “가벼운 타박상만 입었다”며 영상을 올리며 안부를 전했다. (khnews@heraldcorp.com)

A male high school student has been arrested for assaulting another student, the current boyfriend of the suspect’s ex-girlfriend.According to a police station in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, three high school students allegedly harassed the girl’s current boyfriend from another school.  (Screengrab of Yonhap News TV)One of the suspects, upset that the victim was dating his ex-girlfriend, attacked the victim with his two friends in an alley. The suspects forced the victim to send a text

Apartment complexes are on track to face much stricter smoking rules, as the revised rule is to take effect from February. The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced Monday, that the government will toughen the level of restricting smoking at multi-dwelling units through a legal revision, which will take effect from Feb. 10. (Yonhap)Previously, common areas -- such as elevators, stairs and hallways -- were considered as “manageable spaces”

After the “sanitary pad scare” swept the nation last summer, there were voices that demanded the government to allow the sales of menstrual cups in Korea. Before, there hadn’t been a manufacturer entitled to sell the product in Korea, though it is widely used in other countries. Consumers had to purchase the product through overseas websites and pay a high price for delivery.The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced Thursday, that it approved the sales of “Femmycycle,” a menstrual cup made