Money woes force man to murder his family

Police apprehended a 48-year-old man who killed his wife and two daughters early Tuesday morning in Gangnam, called in a confession and then fled in his car.

The man was unemployed for three years and may have been running out of money. He appears to have suffocated his family, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said.

According to the police, a man identified by the surname Kang called in at 6:28 a.m. Tuesday and said: “I killed my wife and two daughters. You can find the bodies at my house.”

Upon arriving at Kang’s house in Seocho District in southern Seoul, the police found the corpses of Kang’s wife and his 14- and 8-year-old daughters.

They also found a note assumed to be written by Kang that read: “I say sorry to my family. I have to die.”

A few hours later, Kang was driving on a highway in Mungyeong, north Gyeongsang, when a local police car identified his Honda Accord. It chased Kang for one kilometer (about half a mile), finally apprehending him at 12:21 p.m. Kang didn’t resist, police said.

Since Kang left a company job three years ago, he has been unemployed. His wife didn’t work and she had received financial assistance from her family, according to the police.

Kang borrowed more than 500 million won ($454,000 ) from a bank, putting his apartment up as collateral. In November 2012, he also borrowed 600 million won using his apartment as collateral. He bought the apartment in 2004.

“The exact motive for the crime will be revealed after questioning Kang,” the police said.

The police will send the dead bodies to the National Forensic Service for autopsies.

BY PARK YUNA [ypc3c@joongang.co.kr]