Latest news with #UijeongbuDistrictCourt
Time of India
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Kim Sae Ron listed as creditor in father's bankruptcy while carrying $900,000 debt — new details emerge amid Kim Soo Hyun scandal
Almost four months after Kim Sae Ron's heartbreaking death, new reports are shedding light on the financial struggles she faced as the sole breadwinner for her family. These revelations come just as dating rumours linking her to actor Kim Soo Hyun have resurfaced, sparking widespread speculations about her past. Kim Sae Ron was listed as a creditor in her father's bankruptcy According to court filings, as reported by multiple K-media outlets, Kim Sae Ron was registered as a creditor in her father's personal bankruptcy case. She was owed over 250 million KRW (180,000 USD)—money she had used to repay her father's debts after he defaulted on loans from more than 20 creditors. Her father, identified only as 'A,' filed for bankruptcy in December 2020 and was officially discharged by the Uijeongbu District Court in March 2023. Kim was just 20 years old when the bankruptcy was finalized. Failed restaurant investment added to financial burden After her father's bankruptcy, Kim tried to help her family bounce back. In May 2021, she reportedly invested in a family-run restaurant, registering it under a friend's name. She poured financial resources into the business and promoted it using her entertainment industry contacts. But despite her efforts, the restaurant shut down in 2024 due to unpaid rent and operational fees, causing her to lose even more, including the security deposit. The DUI incident that changed everything In 2022, Kim was involved in a drunk driving incident, crashing into a transformer in Seoul. The case quickly spiralled into a public controversy. More than just a reputational hit, the crash reportedly impacted multiple nearby businesses, leading to civil compensation claims and a wave of legal expenses. During her DUI trial in 2023, her legal team stated that Kim had been the family's sole breadwinner, citing ongoing financial strain. They described her as taking on significant monetary responsibilities for herself and her relatives. Over 1.2 billion KRW in confirmed debt Reports from Money Today, bnt News, and allkpop detail the extent of the former child actress' financial struggles, with public records showing her confirmed liabilities totalled over KRW 1.2 billion (around USD 900,000). This included KRW 100 million each borrowed from two idols and one singer friend, a KRW 60 million loan from her agency to cover medical expenses, and a massive KRW 700 million owed to her former agency, Gold Medalist, as repayment for pre-paid breach-of-contract penalties following her 2022 DUI incident. Despite the staggering total, it remains unclear how exactly these funds were used—whether for personal needs, legal fees, or to support her family. Family disputes posthumous claim In April 2025, a month after Kim's death, her family's legal team released a statement denying the narrative that she had been the family's sole provider. They dismissed the reports of financial mismanagement and wealth being squandered as 'unworthy of attention.' Still, the court filings and business records tell a different story—one where Kim appeared to be taking on a role far heavier than her age. For all the latest K-drama, K-pop, and Hallyuwood updates, keep following our coverage here.
Korea Herald
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Where's Huh Kyung-young? The eccentric, serial presidential candidate who once vowed to levitate lands in jail
Three-time presidential candidate detained on suspicion of financial and sexual wrongdoing Huh Kyung-young, a wacky politician who ran for South Korean presidency three times with outlandish pledges like giving 100 million won ($71,467) to every citizen, is back in the news, not as a candidate running for the June 3 election but as a criminal suspect. The 77-year-old, who holds the official title of honorary leader of the National Revolutionary Party, has been behind bars since Saturday after the Uijeongbu District Court issued a warrant for his detention on charges of fraud, violations of the Political Funds Act and coerced sexual misconduct. Having run in the 15th, 17th and 20th presidential elections and losing each time, he is widely known for making bizarre campaign promises, such as building a runway for UFOs, raising Koreans' IQ to 430 and offering tax breaks for bald people. Though widely dismissed as unrealistic and absurd, his proposals created enough buzz to be parodied on many entertainment shows. Huh is accused of using his religious facility, known as 'Haneulgung,' to sell goods at exorbitant prices. At Haneulgung, a group of his followers revere him as a spiritual leader and hold lectures and prayer sessions to promote his beliefs. Huh is also accused of sexual misconduct for touching his female followers inappropriately during what he described as spiritual counseling sessions. During a yearlong investigation, police questioned him more than 30 times and searched his facility, but he continued to refuse to cooperate and filed complaints against investigators. This led the court to grant an arrest warrant over concerns that he might destroy evidence. Can Huh run again? His recent arrest has raised questions among some online users about whether he could still run for the June 3 presidential election. 'No Huh Kyung-young this election? That feels unusual," a user wrote on X. 'Can someone in custody not run for office? I was actually looking forward to his crazy pledges," read another post. The answer is no. At this point, no one can throw their hat into the ring — the official candidacy registration period closed on May 11. As for the ongoing investigation into Huh, that does not, in itself, disqualify him from running for public office. Though this is ultimately irrelevant, as he is already barred due to a conviction last year. Article 18 of the Public Official Election Act stipulates that candidates are disqualified only after a conviction resulting in a prison sentence or a heavier penalty is finalized. Huh, in April 2024, was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for three years, for spreading false information. As a result, he is barred from running in elections until April 2034. Among the groundless claims he made were that he was the adopted son of the late Lee Byung-chull, founder of the tech giant Samsung, and that he had served as a policy advisor to former President Park Chung-hee. This was not the first time Huh was prohibited from running for office for spreading false information. During the 2007 presidential election, he promised to marry former President Park Geun-hye if elected. At that time, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison and barred from candidacy for a decade. He returned to politics in 2020. Meanwhile, Huh, currently held at the Uijeongbu Police Station, was taken to a hospital early Monday morning after reporting sudden abdominal pain. However, he was returned to the detention center after doctors found no health issues, according to police. cjh@
Korea Herald
11-04-2025
- Korea Herald
Taekwondo instructor jailed for 30 years for death of 5-year-old
A South Korean court sentenced a taekwondo instructor to 30 years in prison for the abuse of a 5-year-old boy at his center that caused the child's death. On Thursday, the Uijeongbu District Court handed down the sentence to the instructor, a man in his 30s, who was convicted of child abuse resulting in death. The court also ordered him to complete 40 hours of child abuse treatment programs and barred him from working at children or youth-related institutions for 10 years. According to the verdict, the instructor placed the child upside down in rolled-up floor mats and left him in that position for 27 minutes, at his martial arts school in Yangju, Gyeonggi. 'The defendant was aware of the risk that the child might die but failed to act,' the court said. 'He also habitually abused more than 20 other children over a sustained period and dismissed his actions as mere play, casting doubt on the sincerity of his remorse.' In addition to denying responsibility, the defendant reportedly attempted to shift blame to another instructor and deleted CCTV footage to destroy evidence. The court deemed his behavior as not only abusive but also indicative of a serious attempt at concealment and obstruction of justice. While prosecutors had sought a life sentence, the court opted for a fixed 30-year term. Investigations revealed that the defendant had committed 124 instances of physical and emotional abuse against 26 children at the taekwondo school, including pinching cheeks and striking students.
Korea Herald
06-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Singer Kim Jun-su's blackmailer sentenced to seven years in prison
A female livestreamer on local streaming platform AfreecaTV was sentenced to seven years in prison for extorting millions of won in money and valuables from singer and musical actor Kim Jun-su, a local court ruled Thursday. The Uijeongbu District Court found the woman guilty of all charges, including racketeering, stating, "The defendant kept private conversations with the victim and, as their relationship soured, decided to extort money and valuables." She has been indicted in December last year for secretly recording private conversations with Kim, a former member of the K-pop group TVXQ, and threatening to release them to the public in exchange for monetary gains. According to the prosecutors, she extorted approximately 800 million won ($552,436) from Kim over nearly five years, from September 2020 to last November. During her final statement in court, the convicted livestreamer said, 'I made wrong decisions due to my ignorance, and I am deeply ashamed of myself.'
