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'Strategic non-reporting' is on the rise, and legal disputes are rapidly increasing. 'Family order' must be proven to receive legal protection. 'Common-law marriage' refers to a relationship in which people live together like a married couple without legally registering their marriage. In particular, it refers to a relationship that needs to be protected as a de facto legal couple. In the past, there were many cases where middle-aged people or remarried families maintained a common-law relationship without registering their marriage due to unavoidable circumstances, but the recent situation is different. There is an increasing number of cases in which the younger generation postpones marriage registration due to the need to maintain a single household for economic reasons such as loans and subscriptions, or free dating relationships. As the ‘common-law marriage’ family form increases in our society, related legal disputes are also increasing. Many people often think that living together for a certain period of time constitutes a common-law marriage. However, contrary to general perception, the court's standards for judgment are much more stringent. In fact, this means that, like a married couple who has registered their marriage, they must be able to objectively prove that it was a relationship that requires legal protection. In fact, the Supreme Court also stipulates that for common-law marriage, “simple cohabitation or an intermittent romantic relationship is not enough; the parties must subjectively have the intention to marry and objectively, there must exist the substance of the marital life that allows joint life between spouses to be recognized in terms of family order in terms of social concepts” (see Supreme Court decision 2000Da52943, delivered on April 13, 2001, etc.). In fact, the court’s criteria for such judgment were also used in cases that the author was in charge of. You can get a glimpse. Client A provided housing to his lover and temporarily covered living expenses. However, they were unable to overcome conflicts such as personality differences, and the conflict began when the ex-lover insisted on a common-law marriage and requested property division and alimony. The author argued that a common-law marriage was not established by emphasizing that the couple did not have a wedding during the litigation process and that although it is difficult to reveal specific cases, they did not act as spouses or communicate with the other party's relatives and family. The court also did not recognize their relationship as a ‘common-law marriage.’ It was determined that there was no evidence to support a common-law marriage. As the ‘common-law marriage’ was not recognized, all claims for property division and alimony were dismissed. As such, the court’s standards in common-law marriage disputes require objective indicators, contrary to our expectations. This is why you should not think that you can easily receive legal protection just because common-law marriage has become common. When a dispute arises, there are surprisingly many cases in which no protection is provided. Therefore, if a common-law marriage must be recognized or its establishment cannot be recognized, you should check your situation in advance from a legal perspective. Just because you have not legally registered your marriage does not mean that you are relieved of all responsibility or that your rights are not recognized. However, in order to be legally recognized, it is not important to simply live together, but it is necessary to consider whether they have ever expressed their intention to marry, whether there is a basis to believe that they are an actual couple or started a family, and what evidence is available to prove this. Whether or not you are in a common-law marriage is not a matter to be disputed after the fact, but rather a matter that requires sufficient consultation with a legal expert to accurately check your relationship and rights before a dispute arises. ● Contributions by external writers may differ from the editorial direction of this paper. Gyeonggi Ilbo webmaster@kyeonggi.com[View full article] [Contribution] Common-law marriage, protected as much as you know (Shortcut)

Collided while trying to avoid a vehicle that cut in without turning on the turn signal... 'Violation of safe driving duty' prosecution court said, "An inevitable choice to avoid an accident... Another accident would have occurred if a sudden stop occurred." The driver who caused an accident while trying to avoid a vehicle that cut in without turning on the turn signal in the next lane was found not guilty. On the 22nd of last month, the Seoul Central District Court found Mr. A, a man in his 40s, not guilty on charges of violating the Road Traffic Act. Mr. A was driving on a five-lane road in Seoul in 2024. He was accused of causing an accident while returning after turning the steering wheel to change lanes to avoid a vehicle that cut in without warning from the right. The police judged that Mr. A had violated his duty to drive safely under the Road Traffic Act and sent the case to the prosecution. The prosecution found Mr. A guilty and requested a summary order of a fine of 200,000 won, which the court also accepted. However, Mr. A objected and requested a formal trial. During the trial, Mr. A claimed that the victim's vehicle did not turn on its turn signal. He claimed that he had to cut in and hurriedly avoid the car without stopping. He also emphasized that since the lane he had to avoid was a left-turn lane, he had no choice but to return to the original lane. The court found Mr. A not guilty. The court ruled, "This accident was caused by the victim's sudden lane change," and "The defendant's speeding up to pass in order to go straight was an unavoidable driving act under the circumstances at the time." He continued, "It is difficult to believe that the defendant should have made a sudden stop or made an unmandated left turn to avoid an accident in anticipation of the victim's vehicle illegally crossing the lane. Rather, considering the traffic situation at the time, there is a high possibility that a secondary accident will occur in the event of a sudden stop." He added. Attorney Kim Yun-joong of Daeryun Law Firm, who represented Mr. A, explained, "Violation of safe driving obligations cannot be assumed solely as a result of an accident, and the objective risk must be strictly proven. We were able to obtain an acquittal by actively demonstrating that changing lanes at the time was an inevitable choice to avoid an accident."[View full article] 'Bang' while trying to avoid a car in front that didn't have its blinker on... Law: “Inevitable Choice” Not Guilty (Shortcut)

Democratic Party Rep. Kwon Chil-seung and AI Association debate… “There is an urgent need for a legislative decision to eliminate legal uncertainty.” A unanimous voice from the industry and the legal community said, “A legislative decision to eliminate uncertainty is needed... a minimum track to lead innovation.” In line with the recently implemented AI Basic Act, a forum for discussion was held at the National Assembly to increase public access to justice and establish the legal status of the legal tech industry. In addition, the office of Democratic Party lawmaker Kwon Chil-seung and the Korea Artificial Intelligence Association held the 2nd seminar room of the National Assembly Building on the 9th, titled ‘People’s rights and choices in the AI era.’ In his welcoming speech, Rep. Kwon Chil-seung said, “AI technology must become a wise tool that expands human capabilities,” and emphasized, “Rather than rejecting the wave of technology, we should lead the change with expert insight.” Choi Yi-seon, policy expert at the Korea Artificial Intelligence Association, who made a presentation on the topic, said, “As of 2024, the legal service trade balance deficit has exceeded KRW 1.6 trillion,” and emphasized that the domestic legal market pointed out the crisis. Commissioner Choi Yi-seon said, “Building a ‘sovereign legal AI’ that accurately embodies the spirit of domestic law, rather than a global AI model learned based on English and American law, is the way to protect the sovereignty of the legal profession,” adding, “What is needed now is a legislative decision that lays down a minimum track so that legal tech companies can run without legal uncertainty.” In the discussion that followed, Yang Cheon-soo, a professor at Yeungnam University Law School, served as the moderator, and attorney Lee Seo-hyung of Daeryun Law Firm led the legal profession. He appeared as a representative panelist. Attorney Seo-Hyung Lee said, “With more than 70% of domestic civil lawsuits filed without lawyers for both plaintiffs and defendants in recent years, LegalTech is a key tool to increase people’s access to justice.” He also suggested, “We need a flexible regulatory design that guarantees maximum autonomy in providing simple legal information by applying the risk-based approach of the AI ​​Basic Law, and sets documents submitted to the court as high-risk areas and mandates lawyer review.” Specific demands from industry figures also continued. Elbox CEO Lee Jin called for preemptive legislation, saying, “Through RAG (Search Augmented Generation) technology, we are proving the stability of AI by dramatically reducing the hallucination phenomenon,” and Nexus AI CEO Lee Jae-won appealed for a revision of the Attorney Act, saying, “The vague provisions of the Attorney Act are blocking rational collaboration for AI development.” Meanwhile, the organizers, Democratic Party Rep. Kwon Chil-seung, Rep. Park Ji-won, and Rep. Park Hee-seung attended the debate. In addition, various experts including Kim Hyun-cheol, president of the Korea Artificial Intelligence Association, policy expert Choi Lee-seon, who gave the presentation, Lee Seo-hyung, lawyer at Daeryun Law Firm, Lee Jin, CEO of Elbox, Lee Jae-won, CEO of Nexus AI, who participated as discussants, Jeong Woo-seok, head of the Legal Department of the Ministry of Justice, and Oh Cheong-mi, director of the National Legal Information Center of the Ministry of Government Legislation, attended and held a heated discussion on the future of the legal tech industry. Reporter Jeong-heon Son, Lawleader, twson@lawleader.co.kr Lawleader - Legal balance deficit of 1.6 trillion... ‘Korean-style AI’ must be built to protect domestic legal sovereignty (Go here) Roishu - Legal balance deficit of 1.6 trillion... ‘Korean-style AI’ needs to be built to protect domestic legal sovereignty (Click here) Pinpoint News - “Gyeonggi-do will strive to promote Legal-Tech, the best place for AI” (Shortcut) Pressian - Representative Kwon Chil-seung holds a policy debate seeking the development of the legal tech industry in the AI ​​era (link) E-Newspaper - Domestic Legal Tech 'emergency situation' due to Antropic Shock... Industry: “It is urgent to enact the Legal Tech Promotion Act” (link) Shina Ilbo - Representative Kwon Chil-seung holds a legal tech policy debate (link) iNews24 - National Assembly member Kwon Chil-seung "Gyeonggi-do is the best place for AI... We will make efforts to promote legal tech" (link) Seoul Economic Daily - “Let’s end the war of attrition between the legal profession and IT”… Legaltech win-win debate at the National Assembly (link)

Plaintiff says, "The essence of the Coupang incident was the leak of information of over 33 million members." Consumers affected by Coupang, where a large-scale personal information leak occurred, filed a class action lawsuit against Coupang's U.S. parent company on the 6th (local time) seeking punitive damages in a U.S. court. According to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, the Coupang information leak victims, with U.S. citizens Mr. Lee and Mr. Park as representative plaintiffs, filed a lawsuit against Coupang Inc., Coupang's parent company, and Beom-seok Kim on the same day. A lawsuit was filed seeking damages against the Chairman of the Board of Directors. Coupang Inc is the parent company that holds a 100% stake in Coupang's Korean corporation. In the complaint submitted to the court on this day, Mr. Lee and others claimed that Coupang Inc was negligent in violating its obligation to protect personal information, which constituted a violation of the implied contract. They also claimed that they made unfair profits by failing to take appropriate security measures and violated New York State law prohibiting deceptive business practices. The law firm that represented the lawsuit SJKP's attorney Tal Hirshberg said at a press conference after submitting the complaint that day, "Coupang Inc was established under U.S. commercial law and owes obligations to all who use Coupang, including U.S. citizens as well as Koreans," and explained, "I think using the U.S. court will help us obtain better information about what mistakes were made (on Coupang's side)." The law firm, a Korean partner of SJKP, said Daeryun's CEO Kim Kook-il said at a press conference that day, "The essence of the Coupang incident is that the information of more than 33 million members was leaked, and responding to this problem must be a priority," and added, "I am confident that the class action lawsuit filed today is the most wanted and essential lawsuit by the affected members." The complaint did not specify the specific number of participants in the lawsuit. Attorney Hershberg explained that more than 7,000 information leak victims have contacted us about participating in the class action lawsuit to date. The Coupang lawsuit in the U.S. will be conducted separately from the lawsuit filed in the Korean court. It is also expected to be conducted separately from the shareholder class action lawsuit previously filed in the U.S. Federal Court for the Northern District of California. The United States has a punitive damages system, so large amounts of compensation are often set for companies with gross negligence. In fact, T-Mobile, one of the three major U.S. mobile carriers, In 2021, the personal information of more than 76.6 million current and potential customers was leaked, causing a stir. Consumers filed a lawsuit in court, and T-Mobile spent $350 million (about 510 billion won) in settlement. Separately, he promised the court that he would invest at least $150 million in strengthening the company's security system. pan@yna.co.kr Lee Ji-heon (pan@yna.co.kr)[View full article] Yonhap News - Victims of Coupang information leak file class action lawsuit in U.S.… Claim for punitive damages (link) Edaily - Coupang and Chairman Kim Beom-seok are sued in the U.S., personal information leakage class action lawsuit in full swing (Go here) KBS - Victims of Coupang information leak file class action lawsuit in the US... Claim for punitive damages (link) Seoul Economic Daily - Coupang victims file lawsuit in U.S.… Request for punitive damages from Chairman Kim Beom-seok (link) SBS - Victims of Coupang information leak file class action lawsuit in US... Claim for punitive damages (link) Single List - Victims of 'Coupang information leak' file class action lawsuit in U.S.... Claim for punitive damages (link) KBC Gwangju Broadcasting - Aftereffects of Coupang's 'information leak'... Victims file suit for punitive damages in U.S. court (Go here) Maeil Business Newspaper - Coupang victims file class action lawsuit against Kim Beom-seok in the U.S., seeking punitive damages (link) Cheonji Ilbo - ‘Coupang’ victims file class action lawsuit in U.S.… Claim for punitive damages (link) YTN - 10,000 victims of Coupang information leak, class action lawsuit in full swing in the U.S. (Click here) Munhwa Ilbo - [Breaking News] Coupang victims file class action lawsuit in U.S. court... Claim for punitive damages (link) YTN - Over 10,000 Korean and American users file a class action lawsuit against Coupang in the U.S.... Kim Beom-seok is named as a co-defendant (link) Korea Economic Daily TV - Coupang victims file suit for ‘punitive damages’ in the U.S. (Go here) Seoul Wire - Coupang victims file class action lawsuit in U.S.... After filing a claim for punitive damages (Go here) Gyeonggi Ilbo - Coupang personal information leak incident... punitive damages class action lawsuit in the U.S. (Go here) Global Economy - Victims of Coupang information leak file class action lawsuit in U.S.… Claim for punitive damages (link) Gyeongbuk Daily News - Coupang victims claim punitive damages from ‘Kim Beom-seok and Coupang Inc’ in the U.S. (Go here) Seoul Economic Daily - Coupang victims file class action lawsuit in the US... Claim for punitive damages (link) Bridge Economy - Victims of Coupang information leak file class action lawsuit against Coupang's parent company in the U.S. (Go here) Newsworks - Victims of Coupang information leak file class action lawsuit in U.S. court (Go here) TV Chosun - Victims of Coupang information leak, class action lawsuit filed in the U.S.... “The essence is the leak of information of over 30 million members” (link) MBN - Claims ‘punitive damages’ from Coupang and Kim Beom-seok… Class action lawsuit begins in earnest in the U.S. (Click here) Asia Economy - Coupang victims file class action lawsuit in the US... Claim for punitive damages (link) Media Pen - Coupang's parent company appears in U.S. court... Class action lawsuit filed by victims of personal information leakage (click here) Newsway - Victims of Coupang information leak file class action lawsuit in U.S....claim for punitive damages (link) Herald Economy - Victims of information leak file class action lawsuit against Coupang in the US... “Claim for punitive damages” (link) Newsis - Coupang class action lawsuit begins in New York... Request punitive damages from head office (Go here) News 1 - Victims of the Coupang incident file a class action lawsuit in the U.S.... Claim for punitive damages (link) Donghaeng Media Era - Victims of Coupang information leak, class action lawsuit in US... Claim for punitive damages (link) Financial News - Victims of Coupang information leak claim punitive damages in the U.S. (Click here) Dailyan - Victims of Coupang information leak file class action lawsuit in the US... Claim for punitive damages (link) The Fact - Victims of the Coupang incident file a class action lawsuit in the U.S.... Claim for punitive damages (link) News Pim - Victims of Coupang personal information leak file class action lawsuit in U.S. court (Go here) Cookie News - Coupang personal information leakage class action lawsuit filed in U.S. court... Claim for punitive damages (link) POSJOURNAL - Coupang files a class action lawsuit over 'personal information leak'...claims punitive damages (link) Channel A - Coupang victims file class action lawsuit in the U.S.... Claim for punitive damages (link) Korea NGO Newspaper - Coupang personal information leak victims file suit for punitive damages in U.S. court (Go here) Global Economics - Victims of Coupang information leak file class action lawsuit in U.S.... Claim for punitive damages (link) Security News - [Coupang Hacking] Victims of personal information leakage file class action lawsuit in U.S.... Claim for punitive damages (Click here) Money Today - Coupang victims file class action lawsuit in the U.S.... "The essence is information leak, not corporate regulation" (Shortcut) Consumer Times - Victims of the Coupang incident file a class action lawsuit in the U.S.... Claim for punitive damages (link) Chosun Ilbo - Victims of Coupang information leak file class action lawsuit in U.S....claim for punitive damages (link) Maeil Business Newspaper - “I will hold Kim Beom-seok responsible”... Coupang's first class action lawsuit begins in New York, USA (Click here) Safe Times - Victims of Coupang information leak file class action lawsuit in U.S. (Click here) Hans Economy - Victims of Coupang information leak file class action lawsuit in U.S. (Click here) NewsWho Plus - Coupang personal information leaked, punitive damages 'class action lawsuit' filed in the U.S. (Click here) Channel A - Coupang class action lawsuit in the US... “Punitive damages are needed” (link) Asia Times - 14-hour investigation into Coupang Rogers allegations of perjury... Victims of information leak, class action lawsuit filed in the U.S. (link) Digital Daily - "Kim Beom-seok will be held responsible"... Coupang information leak class action lawsuit begins in the U.S. (Click here) Energy Economy - Victims of Coupang information leak file class action lawsuit in the US... Claim for punitive damages (link) YTN - Over 10,000 Korean and American users file a class action lawsuit against Coupang in the U.S.... Kim Beom-seok is named as a co-defendant (link) Dong-A Ilbo - “Pay punitive damages”… Coupang victims file first class action lawsuit in U.S. court (link) Segye Ilbo - Victims of Coupang information leak file class action lawsuit in U.S.… Korean official: “House of Representatives hearing is due to Coupang lobbying” (Shortcut) Daily Post - ‘33 million people’s information leaked’… Coupang faces punitive damages class action lawsuit in U.S. (Click here) TV Chosun - Class action lawsuit begins against Coupang in New York... Request punitive damages from head office (link) Edaily - Coupang in U.S. court... Will the House of Representatives’ ‘public cover’ work? (Shortcut) Money Today - 'Coupang investigation' 70 days... The full story of the incident is still a mystery (link) Seoul Shinmun - Rogers perjury investigation, U.S. class action lawsuit... Growing ‘Coupang Judicial Risk’ (Shortcut) Maeil Business Newspaper - “Coupang, an American company? Should we get a class action lawsuit like the United States?”… 7,000 people gathered together (link) KBS - Coupang ‘information leak’ class action lawsuit in the US… Chairman Kim Beom-seok is listed as the defendant (link) MBC - Coupang users who distributed 50,000 won discount coupons file the first class action lawsuit in the U.S. (Click here) SBS - "Coupang Kim Beom-seok is also responsible"... ‘Punitive damages’ lawsuit in the United States (link) SBS Biz - Coupang information leak victims file class action lawsuit in New York... Claim for punitive damages (link)

Recently, the method of evidence collection by police and other investigative agencies has been rapidly changing. This is because objective evidence such as communication records and CCTV, rather than ‘who says what,’ now determines the outcome of a trial. In a criminal justice system with such a strengthened evidence-based approach, we met with attorney Tae-seung Lee, head of the first department of the Daeryun Criminal Group at Law Firm, on the 4th to learn about the defense strategy that a suspect must have and the role of a law firm. - It is said that material evidence determines the outcome of a trial, but how is this changing in detail in the field?” Now, statements are just a starting point. We live in an era where objective data such as forensics, communication records, and CCTV have become more persuasive than dozens of reports. Therefore, it is very important for defense lawyers to plan how to secure and analyze what material data will be obtained from the beginning of the case, rather than relying only on reversing statements or alibis. - Why is the importance of evidence especially emphasized in sex crime cases? "This is because the statements of the parties are often conflicting. What fills that gap is digital evidence. For example, in a case of forced molestation, there was a case in which an acquittal was obtained by proving the intimacy and natural relationship between the two people through comprehensive analysis of messenger conversations, movement routes, CCTV, etc. before and after the incident. In addition, in a case suspected of 'possession of sexual exploitation material', the charges were cleared by technically proving through forensic analysis that the file was created automatically and there was no trace of actual viewing or saving. - What about other fields such as economic crime or organized crime? "In fraud and embezzlement cases, if you closely analyze account details, messenger records, etc., you can find clues to prove the legitimacy of fund flow or transparency of decision-making. For organized crimes such as voice phishing, the key is to analyze server logs or communication patterns. Through this, simple This means that the outcome can be completely different depending on how far one reads even the same record. "Because CCTV or log records are usually deleted in 1-2 weeks, it is very important to secure the original video through the court before the start of the investigation for the right to defense. However, there are high practical barriers to proceeding with the process, such as identifying the subject of application, constructing persuasive logic for the court, and cooperating with related agencies. Therefore, there is a high risk that evidence will be deleted if time is delayed, so it is necessary to consult with experts from the beginning of the case and approach it strategically. “The forensic center is located within the law firm, but the law firm center has the advantage of data recovery technology. A law firm's strength is its ability to reconstruct the data into legal language, whether there is evidence, whether there are any controversies over illegal collection, and whether indiscriminate data restoration can be detrimental to the client, so legal judgment is especially essential in this process so that lawyers, forensic experts, and former police officers can collaborate to get as close to the truth as possible. What is it?" People in criminal proceedings are going through the darkest tunnel of their lives. The best defense is not just a fight over the law, but helping the client return to his or her daily life. We are not a passive defense that just waits for the investigative agency's action, but we proactively seek out evidence and try to lead the process from the beginning of the case. Our goal is to be a reliable partner who gives you the belief that 'I did everything I could with this team.'" Baek Jae-hyun Reporter (itbrian@newsis.com)[View full article] Lee Tae-seung, First Division Chief of Daeryun Detective Group, “Digital evidence separates guilt and innocence” (link)

Recently, there has been a series of personal information leaks from large platform companies. However, the essence of this incident is not a simple matter of external intrusion, but that 'information managed internally was leaked.' This point suggests the importance of an internal control system for overall corporate information. In the case of corporate officials, this incident should serve as an opportunity to have the same level of alertness not only to personal information but also to 'technology and trade secret leaks', which are core assets. This is because, just as personal information leaks destroy trust, technology leaks that occur silently also pose a risk that threatens the existence of companies. In fact, according to data from the National Police Agency, technology leaks are so frequent that 668 cases of violation of the Industrial Technology Protection Act have been detected over the past five years, deepening management's concerns. The strongest legal basis for sanctioning such leaks is Article 18 of the Unfair Competition Prevention and Trade Secret Protection Act. According to this provision, a person who uses trade secrets in a foreign country or knowingly leaks trade secrets for the purpose of obtaining illegal profits or causing damage to a company may be subject to imprisonment for up to 15 years or a fine of up to 1.5 billion won. However, the biggest difficulty in practice is proving the 'intention of leakage', which is a crime requirement. This is because most suspects deny intentionality by protesting that “I only backed it up because I needed it for work” or “I could not delete it by mistake.” At this time, digital forensics goes beyond simple data restoration and becomes the key to completely reconstructing the ‘digital behavior pattern’ of the former employee. Although users may be able to delete visible files, it is virtually impossible to manipulate the 'metadata' and 'system artifacts' recorded by the operating system. Forensic experts organically link the logs of when files were deleted and when large amounts of data were moved to a personal cloud or USB, and scientifically prove that the 'accidental mistake' claimed by the suspect was in fact a 'carefully planned export'. However, securing procedural legitimacy is what must precede a technical approach. If you are in a hurry to deal with a leak and arbitrarily recover data or search an employee's personal device without legal review, you may run the risk of being counter-sued for violating the Personal Information Protection Act or detecting electronic records, etc. Moreover, we must be aware that data obtained without going through legal procedures may be denied evidence during the investigation and trial process according to the 'rule of exclusion of illegally collected evidence'. Therefore, the essence of responding to technology leaks is not simply restoring data, but securing evidence that can be used in court. The integrity of the recovered data must be maintained to prove that it is the same as the original, and the 'chain of custody' from collection to analysis and submission must be fully explained. Furthermore, it is essential to legally reinterpret the fragmented digital traces and complete a logical link that proves the intentionality of the leak. Ultimately, a successful technology leak response must be an integrated response system that combines technical analysis and legal crisis management. Due process must be followed under the legal advice of a lawyer from the initial stage of evidence collection, and an organic system must be in place that can directly lead to effective legal action, such as applying for a temporary injunction or filing a criminal complaint, as soon as the analysis results are derived. Only when the law refines the traces discovered by technology into a powerful weapon can it fully protect its precious intellectual property from technology leakage crimes that threaten the existence of companies. Small Business Team[View full article] [Contribution] A warning issued by the Coupang incident... How companies can recognize ‘digital intent’ (link)

Plaintiff: “I borrowed 520 million won in my name, but I don’t know what kind of land I bought.” “The suspect actually used the loan to purchase land… there was no intention to deceive.” A man in his 70s who was sent on charges of getting a loan of 500 million won in the name of an acquaintance by deceiving him into believing that he could make a lot of money by investing in a development site near the airport was acquitted by the prosecution. The Western Branch of the Busan District Prosecutors’ Office was cleared of charges on the 20th of last month. A decision was made not to indict Mr. A, a man in his 70s, who is suspected of violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes (fraud). In July 2016, Mr. A was accused of personally misappropriating the loan after deceiving his acquaintance B by telling him, ‘Buy land near the airport because it will be developed,’ and obtained a loan of 520 million won in B’s name. Mr. B filed a complaint to the police when Mr. A did not provide information about the land he wanted to purchase and did not even pay the loan interest. Mr. A completely denied the charges. It is true that he proposed to purchase the land, but he claimed that there was a mutual agreement to take out a loan in the name of the complainant and that the loan was made with the consent of the complainant. Mr. A emphasized, “I actually purchased the land, but development fell through and I did not make any profit, and there was no intention to deceive the complainant from the beginning.” The prosecution found that Mr. A was not guilty. The prosecution explained the reason for non-indictment by saying, “For the charge to be acknowledged, it must be confirmed that the money received from the complainant was used for something other than the purchase of land. Considering that the suspect used the loan to actually purchase land, it is difficult to conclude that he stole the money by deceiving the complainant.” Kim Young-heum, a lawyer at Daeryun law firm who represented Mr. “We dug into it,” he said. “We were able to obtain a good result by presenting objective financial data proving that the client actually used the loan to purchase land, while also revealing that there were actual development opportunities in the area, and persuading us that this case was nothing more than a civil settlement issue, not a criminal deception.” Reporter Kim Hee-guk kukie@kookje.co.kr[View full article] “It will be developed near the airport”… Man in his 70s on charges of 500 million won loan fraud not indicted (link)

Let’s claim the cost of laser treatment for ‘congenital nevi’… Insurance company: “Simple procedure without incisions.” The court said, “Laser removes lesions by destroying melanin cells… It is practically similar to excision.” The court ruled that even if it is a laser procedure rather than a surgical operation, if it has a substantial surgical effect, such as removing a lesion, it should be recognized as surgery under the terms and conditions. According to the legal community on the 5th, the 3-1 Civil Division of the Suwon District Court handed down the lower court ruling that ruled in favor of the plaintiff in the appeal of the insurance claim lawsuit filed by A, a woman in her 40s, against the insurance company on the 15th of last month. Maintained. Mr. A signed an insurance contract with his children scheduled to be born in 2019 as the insured. The contract included a special clause providing for payment of surgical expenses for congenital deformities, deformities, and chromosomal abnormalities. Mr. A's child, born the following year, was diagnosed with a congenital non-neoplastic nevi and received laser treatment accordingly. Initially, the insurance company paid the treatment costs, but later refused to pay for additional treatment costs, causing a dispute. Mr. A filed a lawsuit against the company, claiming that he had met all requirements for insurance payment, including receiving a definitive diagnosis from a doctor and undergoing surgery necessary for treatment. On the other hand, the insurance company refuted this claim. This means that the diagnosis cannot be considered confirmed based solely on clinical estimates without undergoing a biopsy. In addition, it was argued that laser treatment is not subject to payment under the terms and conditions because it is a procedure other than surgery that involves manipulation such as cutting or excision of the body. The court ruled in Mr. A's favor. The court explained, "The doctor in charge stated that the diagnosis of the disease is usually confirmed through clinical observation by a specialist," and "The diagnosis of the disease should be considered confirmed." Regarding the issue of surgery, "The disease is unlikely to improve naturally and may affect social life, so treatment is necessary," and "The laser procedure used for treatment is a method of treating lesions by breaking melanin pigment cells into small pieces." It continued, "This involves manipulation of the living body. “It can be considered similar to excision in that it removes the injured lesion, so it is a surgery as defined in the terms and conditions,” he added. The insurance company, which was dissatisfied with the first trial result, appealed, saying that it was a case where treatment was not necessary, but the second trial court also made the same ruling. Attorney Choi Han-sik of Daeryun Law Firm, who represented Mr. “We were able to obtain a favorable ruling,” he explained. Reporter Seohyun Lee sunshine@kyeonggi.com[View full article] Refusal of insurance payment for ‘laser treatment and procedures’… Law: “Surgery is required if the body is tampered with” (Shortcut)

A man in his 40s who was accused of deceiving the transferee with false information during the business transfer process was cleared of charges. The Chuncheon District Prosecutors' Office ordered a non-indictment against Mr. A, a man in his 40s who was transferred on charges of fraud on the 8th of last month. Mr. A was an acquaintance in July 2024. In the process of concluding a business transfer contract with Mr. B, he was accused of stealing property profits worth 180 million won by lying about the status of customers, company debt, and facility status. Mr. A was reported to have claimed at the time, "I have no debt to the company and own all assets, including facilities." Mr. A completely denied the charges. He said, "Mr. B, an acquaintance of 10 years, decided to take over after already knowing the financial status of the company, including sales." He refuted this. He also emphasized, "It is true that the business rights were transferred, but the list of facilities or goods subject to transfer was not specifically specified in the contract." The prosecution accepted Mr. A's argument. It was determined that Mr. B was able to fully understand the overall business as he regularly visited the company. The prosecution said, "The suspect continued to work at the business for several months after the business transfer," and "If he had tried to deceive the other party for the purpose of embezzling money, it would have been difficult to carry out such an action." He explained. Heo Jeong-won, a lawyer at Daeryun Law Firm who represented Mr. A, said, "We actively explained that whether or not a crime of fraud is established must be judged based on the time of the act of deception. It was effective to clearly point out the facts underlying the transfer agreement, such as the fact that the debt questioned by the complainant is also included in the subject of succession." #Accident #Fraud #40s #Non-indictment Park Seok-ho (haitai2000@ikbc.co.kr)[View full article] I handed over the business, but half a year later, "Give me my money back"... 40-year-old not indicted on fraud charges (link)

Advocating as an 'executive network' beyond simple friendship, parents across Busan have come together as a huge network to directly solve local education and safety issues and create a city where children are happy. 'BSPN (Busan Smart Parents Network)', a Busan parents' union network, held a launch ceremony at the main auditorium of Dong-gu Office in Busan on the 4th and announced its official launch. According to BSPN, more than 200 people, including parents, education sector and community officials, attended the event. Launched on this day. BSPN promotes an ‘executive network’ that is differentiated from existing parent groups. Beyond simply raising problems or complaints within the school, parents directly check and verify on-site issues such as education, care, and school route safety. The purpose is to share correct information and bring about improvements through practical actions such as discussions, campaigns, and volunteer activities. The launch ceremony opened with a congratulatory performance by the children's cheering team 'Shooting Star' along with the declaration of the slogan 'Parents of Busan, One Heart'. Subsequently, BSPN's operational direction and detailed quarterly action plan for 2026 were revealed. The major plans included △ monthly regular meetings by branch △ quarterly Busan-wide joint events △ school route and school zone safety campaigns △ discussions and meetings on current care and education issues △ community service with family participation. BSPN has established a solid advisory system comprised of experts in each field to add expertise to the passion of parents. In the field of safety, Choi Tae-sik, president of the Busan City Veterans Association, Kim Dong-hwa, CEO of Edith Education, in the education field, and Kang Jeong-chil, CEO of Busan Briquette Bank, participate as advisors in the community field. In addition, Soo-yeon Son, a lawyer from Daeryun Law Firm, joined to protect the rights of children and adolescents, and Cheol-gyu Jeong (Blanca), a multicultural expert lecturer and former broadcaster, joined to support multicultural families. Solidarity with other regions also attracted attention. Park Ju-jeong, the author of 'Teacher Park Ju-jeong and the 707 Children' and former superintendent of the Gwangju Western Office of Education, sent a special congratulatory video, adding to the meaning of child-centered solidarity. BSPN plans to continue various collaborations, including special lectures, with former Superintendent Park in the future. On this day, BSPN formalized its organization by awarding letters of appointment to regional branch presidents, including Yoo Yeon-ju (specialized high school), Ahn Seon-young (Dongrae), Kang Eun-ah (west), Han Nan-hee (northern), Park Ji-young (southern), and Baek Min-hee (Haeundae), led by general high school president and representative Park Seo-hee. External communication is handled by Chief Spokesperson Jeong-soo Son, Director of Public Relations Planning Jeong-seop Yoon, and Director of SNS and Contents Hyun-seok Lee. The highlight of the event was the reading of the declaration by the six joint delegation members and the 'flag performance' by Representative Seo-hee Park waving a large flag. Attendees cheered and cheered for Busan parents' new leap forward. BSPN Chief Spokesperson Son Jeong-soo said, "We proved today that parents in Busan can be of one mind," and added, "We will become a strong network that protects and cares for all children in Busan at the same level, just as we look at our children with warm eyes." Reporter Lim Soon-taek (limst60@news1.kr)[View full article] News 1 - Busan Parents' Association Network 'BSPN' officially launched (link) Roishu - Busan-wide parent union network BSPN launched... ‘Parents of Busan, one mind’ (link) Bridge Economy - Busan Parents' Solidarity BSPN launched... Directly addressing education and safety issues (Go here) Daily Korea - Busan Parents' Association Network BSPN officially launched (link) Newspim - Busan Parents' Association Network BSPN officially launched... Inspection of education, care, etc. (Go here) Pen & Mike - Busan Smart Parent Network BSPN, launch ceremony held and official launch (link) iNews24 - Busan Parents’ Association Network ‘BSPN’ launched… We will begin to solve on-site problems (Go here) iNews24 - Busan Parents’ Association Network ‘BSPN’ launched… We will begin to solve on-site problems (Go here) Minjoo Newspaper - “Parents of Busan, One Heart” officially launched BSPN (link) Naeoe Economy TV - ‘Parents of Busan, one mind’...Launch of Busan Smart Parent Network (BSPN) (link) Point Economy - Busan-wide parents’ solidarity ‘BSPN’ launched... “All children, with the same heart” (Shortcut)