Identities of three Gangnam murder suspects released

Police revealed the identities of the three Gangnam murder suspects. From left: 35-year-old Lee Kyeong-woo, 35-year-old Hwang Dae-han and 29-year-old Yeon Ji-ho.

Police on Wednesday disclosed the identities of the three suspects who were arrested for allegedly kidnapping and murdering a 48-year-old woman in Gangnam a week ago.

The three suspects are 35-year-old Lee Kyeong-woo, 35-year-old Hwang Dae-han and 29-year-old Yeon Ji-ho.

They are accused of kidnapping the victim in front of an apartment complex in Yeoksam-dong in Gangnam District, southern Seoul last Wednesday, killing her and dumping the body near Daecheon Dam in Daejeon. The three were caught by the police on Friday and arrested on Monday.

Police in Korea reveal the identity of suspects when they deem the disclosure in the public’s best interest.

Another suspect, identified by his surname Yoo, was arrested the same day.

He is suspected of planning the crime with Lee, who the other suspects accuse of being the mastermind.

Police arrested Yoo at a department store in Yongin, Gyeonggi on Wednesday afternoon. His wife, who was with Yoo at the scene of the arrest, was called in for questioning. Police had previously slapped travel bans on Yoo and his wife.

Another 24-year-old, surnamed Lee, was named Monday for allegedly following the victim to prepare for the kidnapping.

Lee’s arrest warrant will be reviewed on Thursday.

“A total of five suspects are accused of committing the crime, while five people related to the case are banned from leaving the country,” an official from Suseo Police Precinct said during a press briefing on Wednesday.

Yoo and his wife are accused of giving some 40 million won ($30,400) to Lee Kyeong-woo.

Police said that Lee told the two other accomplices “to hide well” after the alleged crime, saying that he would get some 50 million won from the married couple and transfer it to them.

Police are currently tracking transaction records.

Lee, the victim and the married couple had been involved in a different criminal case related to a cryptocurrency in February 2021.

According to the JoongAng Ilbo, the 48-year-old victim, Lee and other investors in the cryptocurrency who incurred losses threatened Yoo and his wife in 2021. Lee reportedly lost 80 million won from the investment.

The couple and the victim had previously promoted the cryptocurrency and recruited investors, but after the coin’s value plunged and investors suffered losses, they started to blame each other.

Lee has reportedly formed a closer relationship with the couple after seeing them show more responsibility to the investors.

The 35-year-old denies all the allegations against him, including his relationship with Yoo and his wife.

According to police, Hwang and Yeon are accused of injecting anesthesia into the woman multiple times in the car after they allegedly kidnapped her in southern Seoul last Wednesday. The two are not acquainted with the woman.

On Tuesday, police raided a plastic surgery clinic in Nonhyeon-dong in Gangnam, believing the hospital was the source of the anesthesia. The clinic is also the workplace of Lee’s wife.

The National Forensic Service announced its preliminary finding that suffocation was the cause of the woman’s death, while police are further investigating whether the injected drugs may have led her to death.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO,HA JUN-HO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]