Fresh Itaewon probe may expose past cover-up: Analyst
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CNA
an hour ago
- CNA
Contested police statements by doctor in fake COVID-19 jab case can be used by prosecution, court rules
SINGAPORE: A court ruled on Monday (Jul 28) that contested police statements by a doctor in a case of fake COVID-19 vaccines are admissible and can be used by the prosecution. The six statements, made in January 2022 by Dr Jipson Quah, implicate his co-accused Iris Koh Hsiao Pei and identify patients who allegedly used saline instead of COVID-19 vaccines. Dr Quah, 37, is on trial along with his clinic assistant, Thomas Chua Cheng Soon, 43, and Koh, 49, who founded Healing the Divide, a group that is known to be against COVID-19 vaccination. Quah is contesting 17 charges of dishonestly making false representations to the Health Promotion Board that his patients had received the COVID-19 vaccines, when they had not. He is accused of conspiring with his patients, Koh and Chua, in various permutations. However, soon after the trial began, Dr Quah's lawyer Adrian Wee objected to the six contested police statements being used. In the six contested statements, Dr Quah identified 15 to 17 patients who had taken saline shots instead of COVID-19 vaccines, in order to be reflected as vaccinated in the National Immunisation Registry. He also claimed that Koh was the "complete mastermind" and that most of the patients were directed to him by Koh. Dr Quah alleged that the statements were given under two inducements while he was remanded for investigations. First, that he could be granted bail if he helped the police identify the names of patients who received fake vaccinations. Second, that he could be given bail if he helped the police to implicate his co-accused Koh in his statements. This issue was looked at in an ancillary hearing – a separate hearing to decide on this specific issue – over several days. On Monday, District Judge Paul Quan agreed with the prosecution that the statements were admissible and that no threat, inducement or promise was made by the police officers to Dr Quah. Judge Quan said the statements were given voluntarily, and that Dr Quah had continued to implicate Koh even after being bailed out, "indeed doubling down". The main trial will resume in the afternoon, with one of the investigation officers recalled to the stand. Dr Quah is represented by Mr Adrian Wee, while Mr Wee Pan Lee defends Koh. Chua is currently unrepresented but said he is in talks to get a lawyer on board.
CNA
2 hours ago
- CNA
Powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim rejects outreach by South's new president
SEOUL: North Korea has no interest in any policy or proposals for reconciliation from South Korea, the powerful sister of its leader Kim Jong Un said on Monday (Jul 28) in the first response to South Korean liberal President Lee Jae-myung's peace overtures. Kim Yo Jong, who is a senior North Korean ruling party official and is believed to speak for the country's leader, said Lee's pledge of commitment to South Korea-United States security alliance shows he is no different from his hostile predecessor. "If South Korea expects to reverse all the consequences of (its actions) with a few sentimental words, there could be no greater miscalculation than that," Kim said in comments carried by official KCNA news agency. Lee, who took office on Jun 4 after winning a snap election called after the removal of hardline conservative Yoon Suk Yeol over a failed attempt at martial law, has vowed to improve ties with Pyongyang that had reached the worst level in years. As gestures aimed at easing tensions, Lee suspended loudspeaker broadcasts blasting anti-North propaganda across the border and banned the flying of leaflets by activists that had angered Pyongyang. Kim, the North Korean official, said those moves are merely a reversal of ill-intentioned activities by South Korea that should never have been initiated in the first place. "In other words, it's not even something worth our assessment," she said. "We again make clear the official position that whatever policy is established in Seoul or proposal is made, we are not interested, and we will not be sitting down with South Korea and there is nothing to discuss." South Korea's Unification Ministry said Kim Yo Jong's comments "show the wall of distrust between the South and the North is very high as a result of hostile and confrontational policy over the past few years". South Korea will continue to make efforts for reconciliation and cooperation with the North, ministry spokesperson Koo Byoung-sam told a briefing. There has been cautious optimism in the South that the North may respond positively and may even show willingness to re-engage in dialogue, particularly after Pyongyang also shut off its loudspeakers, a move Lee said was quicker than expected. Still, Lee, whose government is in the midst of tough negotiations with Washington to avert punishing tariffs that US President Donald Trump has threatened against a string of major trading partners, has said a US alliance is the pillar of South Korea's diplomacy. Lee said on the anniversary of the Korean War armistice on Sunday Seoul would make efforts in all areas to "strengthen the South Korea-US alliance that was sealed in blood". North Korea also marked the anniversary which it calls victory day with events including a parade in Pyongyang, although state media reports indicated it was at a relatively lesser scale compared to some previous years. Columns of soldiers marched holding portraits of commanders, including state founder Kim Il Sun,g with spectators and frail veterans in historic army uniforms in attendance in state media photos, which did not show major weapons as part of the parade. A formation of military jets flew over the Pyongyang Gymnasium square in the night sky, trailing streaks of flares and fireworks. State media made no mention of leader Kim Jong Un's attendance.
AsiaOne
3 hours ago
- AsiaOne
North Korea says South Korea's overtures 'great miscalculation', Asia News
SEOUL — North Korea has no interest in any policy or proposals for reconciliation from South Korea, the powerful sister of its leader Kim Jong-un said on Monday (July 28) in the first response to South Korean liberal President Lee Jae-myung's peace overtures. Kim Yo-jong, who is a senior North Korean ruling party official and is believed to speak for the country's leader, said Lee's pledge of commitment to South Korea-US security alliance shows he is no different from his hostile predecessor. "If South Korea expects to reverse all the consequences of (its actions) with a few sentimental words, there could be no greater miscalculation than that," Kim said in comments carried by official KCNA news agency. Lee, who took office on June 4 after winning a snap election called after the removal of hardline conservative Yoon Suk-yeol over a failed attempt at martial law, has vowed to improve ties with Pyongyang that had reached the worst level in years. As gestures aimed at easing tensions, Lee suspended loudspeaker broadcasts blasting anti-North propaganda across the border and banned the flying of leaflets by activists that had angered Pyongyang. Kim, the North Korean official, said those moves are merely a reversal of ill-intentioned activities by South Korea that should never have been initiated in the first place. "In other words, it's not even something worth our assessment," she said. "We again make clear the official position that whatever policy is established in Seoul or proposal is made, we are not interested, and we will not be sitting down with South Korea and there is nothing to discuss." There has been cautious optimism in the South that the North may respond positively and may even show willingness to re-engage in dialogue, particularly after Pyongyang also shut off its loudspeakers, a move Lee said was quicker than expected. Still, Lee, whose government is in the midst of tough negotiations with Washington to avert punishing tariffs that President Donald Trump has threatened against a string of major trading partners, has said US alliance is the pillar of South Korea's diplomacy. "Through efforts in the areas of politics, economic security and culture, we will strengthen the South Korea-US alliance that was sealed in blood," Lee said in remarks commemorating the anniversary of the Korean War armistice on Sunday. North Korea also marked the anniversary which it calls victory day with events including a parade in Pyongyang, although state media reports indicated it was at a relatively lesser scale compared to some previous years. The two Koreas, the United States and China, which are the main belligerents in the 1950-53 Korean War, have not signed a peace treaty. [[nid:720655]]
