Four dead bodies have been found on Jeju, the largest island of South Korea, in three days, Korea JoongAng Daily reported.

A man, likely in his 70s, was found dead in waters near Sinheung-ri in Jocheon-eup, Jeju City, at around 3pm on Sunday, Aug. 23.

A person fishing discovered the body and reported it.

It was the second dead body found after the first body was discovered on Aug. 22.

The Jeju Coast Guard confirmed that the man had been reported missing to the Jeju Dongbu Police precinct a day before he was found.

The Coast Guard is investigating the exact cause and circumstances of his death.

Third and fourth bodies found

A third person, who had been reported missing to police, was found dead near a valley in Aewol-eup, Jeju City, at around 9:35am on Monday, Aug. 24.

Subsequently, a body believed to be that of 37-year-old woman, who went missing in May, was found at around 10:46am on Monday as well, 104 days after she apparently disappeared.

The body was discovered at a palm farm near the accommodation she stayed at.

She was found in a hanging position, Chosun Daily reported.

Rogue police officer closed case

The police officer handling the 37-year-old's disappearance case is suspected of falsely closing it when the initial missing person report was filed.

The family filed another report in July and the police resumed their search.

First body discovered on Saturday

A man in his 60s who had been reported missing was the first person to be found dead recently in Songdang-ri, Gujwa-eup, Jeju City, on Saturday, Aug. 22.

This was the first body discovered on the weekend, reported Korea JoongAng Daily.

The missing-person report for the man was filed on Jul. 2, some 51 days earlier.

Investigators then found that the police officer handling the 37-year-old missing person's case had falsely closed this case.

After the missing woman was found, the man's family refiled a missing person report on Friday, Aug. 21, which prompted the police to launch a new search.

Police officer falsely closed missing persons reports

The rogue police officer had apparently falsely closed 200 missing persons cases during 17 months while working on the island, Korea JoongAng Daily reported.

He has been identified as Sergeant Boo, Chosun Daily reported.

The family of the deceased man in his 60s reported that the elderly man had left on Jun. 28 and became uncontactable.

The man had apparently told his child: “I’ve failed in business and have a lot of debt. Take care.”

However, Sergeant Boo is accused of falsely responding: “The husband has been contacted.”

The police officer also responded: “He is safe but does not wish to disclose his location to the family.”

He then closed the case.

The elderly man's son said in a press conference: "We believed the police when they said my father was safe and waited, but after 51 days, what returned was his body... The police only suggested that the family investigate privately."

Distrust in police deepening

Korea media The Korea Times reported that a distrust of the police is deepening over the premature closure of multiple missing person cases on Jeju.

South Korea police said on Tuesday, Aug. 25 that they have removed four officers in the chain of command at Jeju Seobu Police Station from their duties pending an investigation.

The police are conducting a full investigation into 298 cases closed by Sergeant Boo since March 2025.

A rollercoaster accident that left 10 injured in Subang Jaya, Malaysia, has been confirmed by Malaysian amusement park Sunway Lagoon.

This comes after the location of the incident was initially left undisclosed by Malaysian media.

Initial reports did not disclose location

According to initial reports, 10 people sustained minor injuries after an incident took place at about 9pm on Aug. 22.

The district's police chief said that 22 people, comprising locals and foreigners aged between 11 and 44, were on the ride.

Clips of the aftermath of the incident circulating online showed injured people being carried down on stretchers.

No fatalities were reported.

A police report was made the next morning on Aug. 23, according to the police chief.

He reportedly did not mention the name of the theme park in question in his statement, but advised the public not to speculate as investigations were underway.

Sunway Group confirmed incident

However, Sunway Group's founder Jeffrey Cheah confirmed on Aug. 25 that the accident occurred at the Malaysian conglomerate's amusement park.

Speaking to New Straits Times, he said that it is an incident "that all of us regret very much".

"We are lucky that there were no fatalities."

Without detailing what had occurred, Cheah attributed the accident to metal fatigue and added that the police had ruled out foul play.

He also disclosed that the ride had been temporarily closed for comprehensive inspection and maintenance work about two to three weeks before the incident.

The theme park's operator has been asked by the Subang division of political coalition Barisan Nasional and its principal member party Umno to give an official explanation of what transpired that night.

"The safety of visitors cannot be compromised for any reason, especially when it involves children, families and tourists from within and outside the country," its leader Armand Azha Abu Hanifah said, according to Free Malaysia Today.

Armand also called for a comprehensive investigation into the ride's safety records.

Addressing supposed rumours of a cover-up, he called for such claims to be investigated in order to be confirmed or dispelled.

After over two decades of living next door to each other, two neighbours, Siti and Lee (not their real names), shared an emotional goodbye.

Siti was moving away after selling her family home of 23 years.

The moment was captured in a TikTok video by Siti’s property agent, Gina Khazali, who was present for the home's handover.

Both women are in their 50s.

@gina_khazaliSeeing them hug their neighbours, the tears, the final look around the house… even Agent G also emo a bit. 🥹 Head to my profile to see their story

♬ original sound - Agent Gina Khazali

More than just neighbours

While the two women started as neighbours, living next door meant they interacted almost every day, Siti's daughter, Aifa, told Mothership.

"[Lee] would walk past our unit daily, and they would even hang their laundry side by side along the corridor," the 35-year-old said.

Over time, Siti and Lee naturally grew closer.

They confided in each other, particularly as they navigated the challenges of raising their own children during their teenage years.

"They were always ready to lend a helping hand and eventually became more like sisters than neighbours," Aifa recalled.

Day-to-day life

Their friendship also extended to the little, everyday things.

Aifa shared that they would exchange cooking ingredients such as onions and pandan leaves whenever one of them ran out, and share household items including trolleys and printers.

Lee was also there for the family's milestones, such as witnessing their weddings and the arrival of Aifa's children.

"When we were younger, she also helped to look after us whenever our parents were not at home," she added.

Difficult goodbye

When it came time for Siti to leave, saying goodbye to Lee was particularly difficult.

"After looking out for each other for so many years, moving away meant they would no longer be physically present in each other’s everyday lives," Aifa said.

In the video, the neighbours could be seen crying and hugging each other.

A 48-year-old woman who drove at speeds of up to 125km/h while intoxicated before crashing into the rear of a motorcycle was sentenced to one year and four months in jail on Aug. 25.

As a result of the impact, the motorcyclist was flung into the air and suffered severe head injuries and multiple fractures.

The woman also fled the scene after the crash.

According to Shin Min Daily News, the woman, Xie Lijun (transliteration), faced five charges, including drink driving, driving without due care and attention, and hit-and-run.

She pleaded guilty to four charges, with the remaining charge taken into consideration during sentencing.

Xie was also fined S$6,000 and disqualified from driving for seven years.

What happened

The incident took place at 1:03am on Sep. 17, 2023, along the Central Expressway (CTE) towards the Seletar Expressway (SLE), Shin Min reported.

The day before the accident, Xie had gathered with some friends at a restaurant along Amoy Street at about 6pm.

After drinking several glasses of red wine, the group went to a nearby bar to continue drinking.

Xie left the bar in the early hours of the following day.

She drove a friend home before continuing towards her own home.

According to the Chinese-language newspaper, Xie was initially travelling in the first lane of the CTE before changing lanes across two lanes.

After travelling in the third lane for about eight seconds, she crashed into the rear of a motorcycle.

Investigations found that Xie was travelling at between 116km/h and 125km/h at the time.

The speed limit along that stretch of road was 90km/h.

The impact threw the motorcyclist into the air, and he landed heavily on Xie’s car before rolling onto the road.

After the collision, Xie’s car continued to move forward, dragging the motorcycle along with it.

She later got out of the car to check on the rider, but returned to her vehicle and drove away.

Victim received 588 days of sick leave

According to Shin Min, the injured 39-year-old motorcyclist, a food delivery driver, was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital for emergency treatment.

He suffered severe brain injuries and multiple fractures to his skull, face, eight ribs, sternum, two parts of his spine, pelvis, left wrist, and right foot.

He also suffered bruising to both lungs, and also suffered a left-sided hemopneumothorax, a condition in which both blood and air accumulate in the pleural space surrounding the lung, requiring intubation.

He was given a total of 588 days of medical leave and continued to require treatment.

As of May 30, 2025, he experienced partial loss of sensation in his right foot, as well as weakness when lifting and lowering his right ankle.

He also suffered intermittent chronic headaches and mild cognitive impairment affecting his language expression and abstract thinking abilities.

Woman fled the scene

Xie did not call the police or provide assistance to the rider after the accident.

Instead, she called a female friend while fleeing the scene, telling her that she might have killed someone, Shin Min reported.

The friend advised Xie to call the police, but she only made the call after returning to the car park at her home.

By then, police had already identified her and subsequently arrested her at the car park.

An alcohol test found that Xie had 77mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.

Investigations estimated that her blood alcohol concentration at the time of the accident was between 86mg and 218mg per 100ml, exceeding the then-legal limit of 80mg per 100ml.

Under new legislation proposed on Jul. 7, 2026, the legal blood alcohol limit will be lowered to 30mg per 100ml.

The prosecution pointed out that Xie was not only driving while intoxicated and speeding, but also had about eight seconds after changing lanes to observe the road ahead.

Despite this, she did not see the motorcyclist before crashing into him.

Highlighting the severity of the rider’s injuries, the prosecution sought a sentence of 16 to 17 months' jail, a S$6,000 fine, a seven- to eight-year driving disqualification.

The court heard that Xie had paid the rider S$30,000 in compensation on May 25, 2024.

Her insurer also paid him a further S$30,000.

The rider’s total medical expenses amounted to S$41,341.

These were mainly covered by MediShield Life, MediSave, and other social assistance schemes.

He personally paid S$1,689 out of pocket.

The government will be conducting technical studies to inform the development plans for the reclamation and merging of the Western islands, which could include the areas around Pulau Semakau, Sudong and Bukom.

The potential land reclamation project was announced by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong during the 2026 National Day Rally, who said that these are long-term plans.

The announcement has elicited reactions from the local marine community, with some noting that the reclamation will lead to the immitigable loss of marine habitats dating back millennia, that provide vital ecosystem functions.

Biodiversity value of Western islands and surrounding waters recognised: MND spokesperson

Responding to Mothership's queries, a Ministry of National Development (MND) spokesperson said on Aug. 25 that the government "recognises the biodiversity value of the Western islands and its surrounding waters".

"We are carefully studying the plans as there is a need to plan ahead and create options for the future," the MND spokesperson continued.

According to the National Parks Board's Southern Islands Biodiversity Survey, the combined intertidal area in the possible land reclamation area — which could comprise the areas around Semakau, Sudong, Bukom and neighbouring Hantu and Jong — measures roughly 476.4 hectares.

The reefs around Hantu and Semakau date back as far as 8,000 years ago, Huang Danwei, Director at the National University of Singapore's National Institute for Marine and Ocean Sciences, said.

These reefs have been serving ecological functions for the communities in Singapore and the surrounding region "when this was a known fishing village", according to Huang.

Some of these functions include providing a source of food and coastal erosion prevention.

The reefs in the reclamation area also serve as a "transition habitat" between reefs in Southeast Asia.

"Larvae of various species stopover in the ecosystems here, which thus support biodiversity and fisheries at the regional scale," Huang said.

There is "no mitigation" for the loss of these reefs. Transplanted corals "will not come close" to the ecosystem functions and services of the existing reefs, Huang explained.

Studies will provide understanding of development possibilities and environmental impact

During his speech, PM Wong shared that the merged, larger island could be used for advanced manufacturing industries or power generation infrastructure.

"As part of the planning process, the government will be conducting technical studies to inform the development plans, including the reclamation profile," the MND spokesperson said.

These studies include feasibility studies, site investigations and surveys, as well as engineering and environmental studies.

They will provide a better understanding of the various development possibilities and their preliminary impact on areas like biodiversity and hydrodynamics, the MND spokesperson shared.

Will engage stakeholders early: MND spokesperson

The spokesperson also said:

"We will engage stakeholders early to listen to their inputs before studies and work commence, and their feedback will be carefully considered.

Their knowledge and expertise will help inform the studies, assess potential biodiversity impact and identify measures to avoid, minimise and mitigate impacts where possible."

Mothership understands that an engagement session between Minister of State for National Development Alvin Tan and volunteers from Friends of Marine Park took place on Aug. 24 evening.

The number of young people who were investigated for shop theft has increased.

More than 350 youths were investigated for shop theft in Singapore in the first half of 2026, nearly 30 per cent more than in the same period last year, CNA reported.

Shop theft, said the Singapore Police Force (SPF) in their Mid-Year Crime Brief, remains one of the top offences committed by youths.

Shop theft, which accounted for about 20.4 per cent of all physical crime cases in the first half of this year, is also increasing.

There were 2,095 cases reported, up 2.2 per cent from 2,050 in the same period last year.

Where it happens & what gets taken

Items that were typically stolen included food and drinks, personal care products, alcoholic drinks, and clothing and accessories.

Most shop theft cases involving youths took place at supermarkets, convenience stores, minimarts, and personal care and health and wellness shops.

It is not always about money

Why do youths commit shop theft offences?

Experts who spoke to CNA pointed to peer pressure, bullying, and emotional distress—issues that can be exacerbated by social media.

Narasimman Tivasiha Mani, executive director of Impart, an organisation that supports youths, told CNA:

"It is an external expression of adversity, trauma, or structural gaps that they are facing. Youths steal to gain social capital among their peers. Sometimes, they cope with their internal emotional distress or to cover basic needs when there is instability at home."

Catching offenders only goes so far

Retailers turn to technology such as facial recognition cameras and AI-enabled detection systems to deter thieves, but teaching youths why it is wrong might be a better way.

Hana Alhadad, a council member of the National Crime Prevention Council, told CNA:

"Technology may help detect the crime after it has happened, but education helps prevent the behaviour before it starts. Ultimately, we want young people to make the right decision because they understand why it is wrong, not simply because they are just afraid of being caught."

Alhadad also warned that the act of stealing has to be addressed or else it might "blur the young person's understanding of boundaries" and put them on a path towards further offending.

Narasimman suggested creating third spaces for young people in the community where they can build social connections and meaningfully participate in activities.

Teaching it in schools

SPF said it is working with the Ministry of Education (MOE) to educate students on various crimes, including shop theft, through school talks and joint advisories.

A crime prevention module has been launched on the Singapore Student Learning Space for Primary 3 to 6 pupils, covering the legal consequences of shop theft.

SPF said it is working with MOE to expand the range of modules.

Convicted sex offender Amos Yee, 27, will be charged in court on Aug. 26 for offences related to online contents he allegedly published. 

According to a police news release on Aug. 25, the contents were found to be "alarming and racially divisive".

Several reports were made to the police between April and July 2026, and police investigations were subsequently conducted.

Racially divisive posts

On Apr. 7 and Apr. 11, Yee was found to have made two posts on his blog in which he stated that the Malay-Muslim and Indian communities in Singapore were heavily discriminated against by the Chinese majority.

He also made statements about the Singapore government's treatment of these communities and incited protests against the government.

Yee repeated these sentiments in a video on May. 27.

Indecent comments

In another post published on his blog on Jun. 30, Yee posited that children were capable of consenting to sexual acts.

He also advocated for the abolition of laws governing the age at which children can consent to such acts.

Previously in 2021, he had made three other videos in which he advocated sexual relationships involving children and the abolition of laws prohibiting child sexual abuse material.

For his actions, Yee will be charged for knowingly attempting to promote feelings of disharmony between different racial groups, as well as for making indecent communications likely to cause alarm.

If found guilty for the former, he may face up to three years' jail, a fine, or both.

For making indecent communications, he may face a fine of up to S$5,000.

Posts taken down

The police added that they have issued an OCHA Disabling Direction (DD) to take down the video on X on Aug. 18, which the platform has complied with.

For the remaining offensive content, Yee has been issued a Stop Communication Directions to remove the existing posts on his personal blog.

Yee is also set to plead guilty on Sep. 7 to NS enlistment offences.

He was previously charged in March with three offences related to his NS obligations.

A 28-year-old man, who recorded at least 142 upskirt videos in Singapore over more than two years, was sentenced to 81 weeks' jail on Aug. 25.

According to a report by The Straits Times (ST), the man pleaded guilty to four counts of voyeurism on Aug. 5.

Another eight similar charges were taken into consideration during sentencing.

His victims included nine of his colleagues and two sisters whom he filmed in a Cold Storage outlet.

The man cannot be named due to a gag order protecting the identity of his victims and his workplace.

Filmed at least five upskirt videos in Kinokuniya

Citing court documents, ST reported that on May 3, 2025, the man was at the Kinokuniya bookstore at Takashimaya Shopping Centre when he spotted a 28-year-old woman browsing books in the literature section.

He then proceeded to crouch near a shelf and slipped his phone under her dress to record a video.

The woman felt his phone bump against her ankle and noticed that its camera was pointed up her dress.

While recording the video, the man pretended to be looking for books.

He then quickly walked away, but the woman later alerted security after noticing him trying to approach other women in the store's philosophy and self-help sections.

The man subsequently admitted to taking at least another four upskirt videos in the bookstore after he was detained and arrested.

At the time of his arrest, he was also in possession of 23 upskirt videos, which he admitted he recorded while travelling overseas.

Filmed two sisters at Cold Storage

On Jan. 15, 2026, the man was at the Cold Storage outlet at New Bahru when he saw a 27-year-old woman with her boyfriend, ST reported.

He pretended to be looking for produce in the same aisle before squatting beside the woman and pointing his phone towards her groin to record a video.

As the couple walked past him, he followed closely behind and pointed his phone under the woman's skirt to record another video.

He stopped when the pair turned around.

About 10 minutes later, he spotted another woman, aged 25, who was the first victim’s sister.

Squatted behind her while she was looking at products, he then recorded an upskirt video of her.

The woman noticed that he was squatting very close to her and told her mother, her sister, and another sister that she suspected he had recorded a video of her.

The first victim’s boyfriend then confronted the man inside the store and demanded to see his phone.

He also threatened to call the police.

The man then unlocked his phone, and the group found upskirt videos of the two sisters.

The offences were also captured on the store’s CCTV cameras.

He committed these offences while he was already being investigated for voyeurism offences in 2025 and was out on police bail for those offences.

Recorded videos of colleagues

According to ST, the man had recorded at least 50 upskirt videos of different women between January 2024 and December 2025.

He also recorded 85 videos of at least nine female colleagues, including in the office pantry, while queueing for a shuttle bus, and while taking the escalator with them.

The man also admitted to owning two iPhones.

He used an iPhone 16 Pro to record the videos and stored them in a hidden folder.

When the phone ran out of storage space, he transferred the videos to an iPhone 14 Pro.

Maxwell Food Centre regulars who are fans of fried snacks now have one less option to choose from after its "China Street Hum Jin Pang" stall shuttered last week.

It previously opened in 1975, according to SethLui.com.

The stall's closure was shared via Instagram on Aug. 24 by Deitrich Mohan, the third-generation successor of a nearby Fuzhou Oyster Cake stall.

DIY style, quietly closed

Loosely translated as "fried dough fritters", customers could previously fry the fritters themselves, 8world reported.

The veteran stall was also known to sell one fritter for S$0.20 and five fritters for S$1.

Noting that a new shop is taking over the original stall, Mohan added that this meant yet another traditional delicacy was now gone.

"We will probably never experience something like that ever again," he said, referring to flipping the hum jin pang or buying it at that price.

"That kind of flavour no longer exists, because she has called it quits."

Customers express disappointment

In response to the video, customers have taken to the comments section to express their disappontment.

One customer lamented that this was "another childhood snack gone" but hoped "auntie [gets] to enjoy her retirement life".

Others recalled eating the snack since they were young, and liked its flavour and seasoning.

They also pointed out that how this stall does business is unique and gave them good memories.

A 47-year-old man will be charged on Aug. 26 for allegedly using insulting and abusive words towards public servants.

According to investigations, the man apparently sent multiple emails to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Singapore Police Force (SPF) between Mar. 14 and May 16.

The emails purportedly contained insulting and abusive remarks directed at SPF officers to express his dissatisfaction with his interactions with the police.

The man will be charged with the offence of using insulting and abusive words towards public servants under the Protection from Harassment Act 2014.

Offenders are liable to a jail term of up to 12 months, a fine of up to S$5,000, or both.

The police said they have zero tolerance for harassment and abusive conduct directed at police officers and public servants who are carrying out their duties.

It will not hesitate to take firm action against those who engage in such conduct in accordance with the law.