JAPAN POLICE MOUNT RAIDS OVER ‘ILLEGAL FOOD EXPORTS’ TO NKOREA

Japanese police said on Thursday they had carried out several raids, reportedly in connection to alleged shipments of food to North Korea that would contravene sanctions. Investigators raided several places on suspicion of violating foreign exchange regulations, an official from the Kyoto Police Department told Agence France-Presse, declining to comment further. According to local media, police raided a Tokyo-based commercial association affiliated with the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, known as Chongryon, the de-facto North Korean embassy in Japan. Police also raided a firm in Tokyo, the Asahi Shimbun said, adding that they are expected to soon arrest several people on suspicion of illegally exporting foods to the reclusive state via Singapore. Japan has banned trade with North Korea as part of sanctions imposed on the country over its missile and nuclear programs as well as the abduction of Japanese nationals.

SKOREA PROSECUTORS SEEK 25 YEARS FOR EX-PRESIDENT’S FRIEND

The powerful secret confidante at the center of the sprawling corruption scandal that brought down South Korean president Park Geun-Hye should spend the next quarter of a century in prison, prosecutors demanded on Thursday. Park’s longtime friend Choi Soon-Sil—the daughter of her religious guru—was vilified at the massive nationwide protests last year that rocked Asia’s fourth-largest economy and led to Park’s impeachment. Choi was “the alpha and omega of the scandal,” a prosecutor told the Seoul Central District Court, “the very person who created a national crisis which resulted in the country’s first- ever impeachment of a president.” He also sought fines and asset seizures totaling 126.2 billion won— around $116 million. The 61-year- old is accused of colluding with Park to extort millions of dollars from conglomerates, including South Korean giants Samsung and Hyundai, and using her connection with the president to meddle in state affairs. Choi denies all 18 charges, including abuse of power, coercion and bribery.

PLANE CRASHES IN WESTERN CANADA, NO FATALITIES

A small airliner carrying 25 people crashed after takeoff Wednesday (Thursday in Manila) in the western Canadian province of Saskatchewan, causing multiple injuries but no fatalities, police said. The West Wind Aviation ATR-42 went down about a kilometer from the Fond- du-Lac airport at around 6:15 p.m. local time (0015 GMT Thursday), the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said. “All 22 passengers and three crew members ... have been accounted for and removed from the scene of the crash with no fatalities reported,” the RCMP added. “A number of people have suffered injuries; some serious enough to require air ambulance services which are currently en route.” There was no explosion or fire when the turboprop plane crashed, police said. There was no immediate word on the cause of the crash. Canada’s Transportation Safety board said it was sending a team to investigate.