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South Korean police storm church in fugitive search

THOUSANDS of South Korean police stormed a church compound today in their hunt for fugitive billionaire businessman Yoo Byung-eun over April’s ferry sinking.

Authorities believe the businessman owns the Sewol ferry and that his alleged corruption may have contributed to the sinking that left more than 300 people dead or missing.

Prosecutors have been seeking Mr Yoo for weeks and are offering a $500,000 (£297,975) reward for information.

Mr Yoo is a member of a group called the Evangelical Baptist Church. About 5,000 police, accompanied by prosecution investigators, raided the group’s compound in Ansung, south of Seoul.

Four people were detained for allegedly providing shelter for Yoo or helping him flee and another was detained for trying to obstruct the raid.

About 200 church members rallied against the raid, hanging up a banner that read: “We’ll protect Yoo Byung-eun even if 100,000 church members are arrested.”

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