Police search for double homicide suspect

The wanted poster of a 57 year-old man only identified as Lee. [ILSAN SEOBU POLICE STATION]

The police began searching on Friday for a 57-year-old man accused of murdering two people.

Authorities released a photo of a man with a shaved head who stands approximately 170 centimeters (5.5 feet) tall.

However, the police have identified the suspect only by his surname Lee.

The suspect has five prior convictions and was released from prison in November.

According to the police, a woman in her 60s was discovered dead at a Korean-style coffee shop, or dabang, she owned in Yangju, Gyeonggi, at 8:30 a.m. on Friday.

The woman is believed to have died from strangulation. The police have also found signs of assault.

The police have confirmed that the victim was murdered by the same person who killed another woman last month.

The police found Lee's fingerprints at both murder scenes.

Lee is accused of murdering another dabang owner in her 60s last month in Goyang, Gyeonggi.

She, too, was strangled after being beaten.

The police said the victim's son contacted them after his mother failed to answer his calls and the store door remained closed.

Both dabang owners worked alone.

The police said that they believe the suspect and the murdered dabang owners had no prior relationship, and there is a strong possibility that the victims were chosen at random.

The police said tracking down the suspect has proven challenging as he does not own a mobile phone and has no registered address.

They are currently tracing the route the suspect took using surveillance footage.

Police are offering a maximum reward of 5 million won ($3,800) for providing vital information or a report contributing to the suspect's arrest.

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]