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All stories are culled with consent from Korea JoongAng Daily’s website and edited by Groove Korea for length and clarity. The opinions expressed here do not necessarily represent those of Groove Korea. — Ed. N A T i o N A l N E w swith February 2014 / www.koreajoongangdaily.com prosEcuTor ArrEsTED For AbusiNG powEr To hElp cElEbriTy A prosecutor at the Chuncheon District Pros- ecutors’ Office was arrested in January for allegedly abusing his power to help a celebrity settle disputes with a plastic surgery clinic. The two first met when the prosecutor took part in an investigation in 2012 into allegations that Lee Yoon-ji — better known by her stage name Amy — illegally possessed and used propofol. Propofol is a powerful anesthetic and mem- ory-loss agent that can kill if an overdose is taken. Lee told the accused prosecutor that she had been a victim of medical malpractice and was seeking damages, the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office said. The 37-year-old man, identified by his sur - name Jeon, pressed a doctor at the clinic and managed to receive the establishment’s ap- proval to let Lee undergo another operation. He also collected some 15 million won ($14,100) from the clinic on her behalf, which he gave to the 32-year-old TV personality. Jeon’s alleged involvement means he could be charged with violating the laws that dictate ethical codes of conduct for legal professionals. He could also possibly be charged with black- mail. The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office has sought a warrant to detain Jeon for further questioning. What caused him to step in is still not clear, but the prosecutor reportedly claims he did so “out of sympathy.” The prosecution will look into whether there were any underhanded dealings or circumstances that might have led him to use his influence to Lee’s advantage. Last year, Lee was sentenced to up to eight months in prison and two years of probation for illegally using propofol. The court also ordered her to complete 40 hours of commu - nity service and 24 hours of a medical lecture course. At the time, the co urt explained that Lee “ex- perienced heavy guilt since her dependence on propofol has clearly been acknowledged and her social influence is huge.” Lee was investigated over charges that she was illegally using propofol in 2012, after she collapsed in a nail parlor in Gangnam, south- ern Seoul. An intravenous needle was stuck in her arm and propofol vials were found in her handbag. The TV personality has denied any sort of in- appropriate relationship with the prosecutor. Concerns about prosecutors’ misconduct surfaced when a prosecutor in training was ac- cused of engaging in sexual acts with a female suspect in his office during an interrogation last year. The prosecutor allegedly promised to clear her of charges in exchange for the acts. The incident came to light after the woman tipped off her lawyer, who then confronted the prosecutor in charge of supervising the trainee. iNTErNATioNAl TAxis iN sEoul busTED For ovErchArGiNG ForEiGNErs T he Seoul City government said in January that 52 taxi drivers who were caught over- charging foreign tourists will be stripped of their status as international taxi drivers. The announcement came after those taxis, which primarily serve foreign tourists and have interpretation services, were alleged to have imposed a 20 percent surcharge on foreign passengers on top of a fee for foreign-language services. Drivers are only supposed to impose a 20 percent surcharge on metered fares when pas- sengers travel between Seoul and surrounding cities in Gyeonggi. Drivers began installing a new meter system in October 2013 after the Seoul government raised the base fare for city cabs. The new sur- charge policy for those traveling between other regions also went into effect. “With the installation of the new meter, some tourist taxi drivers have used it to their advan- tage,” said Jeong Yong-woo, an official from the Seoul government. The taxis, officially known as Seoul Interna- tional Taxi, are orange with a black label that designates them as international cabs. International taxi fares start at 3,600 won ($3.40) — higher than the regular rate of 3,000 won — and increases by 120 won every 142 meters. The international taxis offer language services in Japanese, Chinese and English and are often equipped with tourist information. A total of 371 such cabs operate in Seoul, ac- cording to the Seoul Metropolitan Government. The 52 taxi drivers will no longer be permit- ted to drive international taxis, though they will be allowed to run regular cabs. “All of the drivers took foreign-language ex- ams before driving the international taxis, but they will no longer be able to operate the taxis,” Jeong said. According to the city government, the drivers will undergo a 40-hour training session as part of the corrective measures. To prevent scams against tourists, Seoul said it plans to establish a system that will automatically be able to detect inaccurate charges. Jeong vowed that regulations on taxis would be stepped up overall. www.groovekorea.com / February 2014 24