Former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae Sentenced to 25 Years for Insurrection

By PARK, JONG-HO Posted : June 22, 2026, 22:04 Updated : June 22, 2026, 22:04
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Former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae Sentenced to 25 Years for Insurrection
Park Sung-jae, the former Minister of Justice, was sentenced to 25 years in prison and taken into custody for his involvement in an insurrection during the emergency martial law declared on December 3.

On June 22, the Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Division 33, presided over by Judge Lee Jin-kwan, found Park guilty of insurrection and abuse of power. Earlier, the special prosecutor's team led by Cho Eun-seok had sought a 20-year sentence for Park during the closing arguments in April.

The court recognized all charges against Park, including his participation in the insurrection and abuse of authority. It ruled that the emergency martial law declared by former President Yoon Suk Yeol and the subsequent actions to control the National Assembly and the National Election Commission clearly constituted acts of insurrection as defined under Article 87 of the Criminal Act.
 
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NS Home Shopping has completed the payment for the acquisition of the Homeplus Express business rights.

As of June 22, NS Home Shopping announced that the management of Homeplus Express will be handled by a newly established subsidiary, 'Homeplus Express.'

NS Home Shopping plans to implement measures to normalize store operations, stabilize product supply, and restore customer service. This will include facility and equipment improvements, product assortment normalization, employee training, and service innovation.

The company aims to enhance its competitiveness in fresh food and upgrade online services to create a convenient shopping environment for customers.
 
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The KOSPI index closed higher, recovering above the 9100 mark, bolstered by buying from individual and institutional investors. SK Hynix expanded its gains, surpassing Samsung Electronics to become the top company by market capitalization on the KOSPI.

On June 22, the Korea Exchange reported that the KOSPI rose by 62.13 points (0.69%) to close at 9114.55. The index opened at 8954.43, down 97.99 points (-1.08%), but quickly recovered, reaching as high as 9200 during the trading session. Although it relinquished some gains, it maintained a strong upward trend until the close.

Notably, SK Hynix's market capitalization reached 208 trillion won, surpassing Samsung Electronics' 206 trillion won (excluding preferred shares), marking the first time SK Hynix has outpaced Samsung in market value.
 
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The Blue House acknowledged the recent poll indicating that negative evaluations of President Lee Jae-myung's governance have surpassed positive ones for the first time since his inauguration, stating, "We accept this with seriousness and humility."
 
A Blue House official commented on June 22 that the recent fluctuations in approval ratings reflect the public's perception of the economic situation and overall governance. They emphasized the need to pay closer attention to the concerns and expectations of the citizens.

The negative sentiment is believed to be linked to the fallout from the mismanagement of the June 3 local elections and internal conflicts within the Democratic Party, contributing to an overall negative political climate.
 
Prime Minister Candidate Han Seung-sook Apologizes for Data Breach
Han Seung-sook, the candidate for Prime Minister, expressed deep regret on June 22 regarding the personal data breach involving the 'Everyone's Startup' platform under the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, where he currently serves as minister.

Han made the remarks while arriving at the office set up for the confirmation hearing at the Financial Supervisory Service training center in Seoul.

He stated, "As the minister in charge, I feel a heavy sense of responsibility and sincerely apologize for failing to protect the trust of those who ventured into entrepreneurship with the government’s support."

Earlier, the Ministry reported that personal information of 5,000 applicants for the 'Everyone's Startup' project had been leaked. Investigations revealed that the breach was not due to an external attack but occurred when a company supporting the project was hacked.




* This article has been translated by AI.

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