Investigators raided the offices and residences of President Lee Myung-bak’s son and eldest brother on Wednesday as part of a probe into suspicions over a now-scrapped project to build Lee’s retirement home. The raid came one day after the independent counsel team banned 10 people involved from traveling overseas. They included the president’s son Si-hyung, former presidential security service chief Kim In-jong, former presidential chief of staff Yim Tae-hee and former presidential secretary of

Despite sagging economic conditions, Koreans’ donation for charity increased 20 percent in 2011 from 2009, according to a survey. The Beautiful Fund, a nonprofit organization, unveiled the result of its survey of 1,029 people conducted in June and July to look into Koreans’ charitable activities and attitudes.The average amount of yearly donation per person was 219,000 won ($198), up 20 percent from 182,000 won in 2009, according to research.The rate of participation in charity donation also sli

Special prosecutors investigating the now-scrapped project for President Lee Myung-bak’s retirement home Tuesday asked the Justice Ministry to ban about 10 people involved from leaving the nation, including Lee’s son Si-hyung and former presidential chief of staff Yim Tae-hee. Lee Sang-eun, the eldest brother of the president, was not included on the list since he left the nation on Monday, raising suspicions of a tip-off. Si-hyung allegedly borrowed money from Sang-eun, the majority shareholder

Prosecutors raided Dong-A Pharmaceutical Wednesday as part of an investigation into suspicions that the largest drug company in Korea bribed hospital officials to purchase of its products. Investigators confiscated transaction records, accounting documents, and computer hard drives from the firm in Seoul.The investigative team was tipped off that the firm had provided illicit favors to officials at hospitals, clinics and drug stores through agencies. Dong-A Pharmaceutical was called an innovativ

Two members of the Korea International Cooperation Agency were killed and three others were injured after being struck by lightning in Sri Lanka on Saturday, local time. The state-run volunteer group said its five members were hit by lightning at around 5:30 p.m. in Haputale, a mountainous area in the central region of the nation. A man surnamed Kim, 22, and a woman surnamed Jang, 24, were killed.Three female workers were taken to a nearby hospital.The female members had joined the volunteer gro

A lower court sentenced a Canadian national to five years in prison Thursday for killing his girlfriend in 2009. The 39-year-old man confessed earlier this year to drowning his girlfriend, surnamed Kim, then 21, in 2009 while they were taking a walk along the bank of the Han River in Yongsan. He had initially told police that Kim drowned while trying to get a tennis ball from the river. The police then closed the case. The man turned himself in in January saying to police that he had killed her