Police investigate suspect for rooftop murder of girlfriend

An image of Seocho Police Station in southern Seoul [YONHAP]

Police are investigating a man who was arrested without a warrant on Tuesday for allegedly killing his girlfriend on a building rooftop in Seoul.

According to the Seocho Police Precinct, a man in his 20s was accused of killing his girlfriend by stabbing her several times on the rooftop of a building in Seocho District, southern Seoul, at around 5 p.m. on Monday.

Police said that they tried to pull down the suspect from the rooftop after receiving a report that the man was trying to jump off the building.

Police later found the victim upon revisiting the site after the man said that he had left a bag with his medicine on the rooftop.

The medicines were said not to be illegal drugs, according to media reports.

Police said that they cannot immediately reveal any detailed information about the investigation, including the suspect's motive, to respect the wishes of the family of the deceased.

Police also plan to file an arrest warrant against the suspect after looking into the detailed circumstances of the crime.

It is said that the suspect has admitted to his crime, according to media reports.

On the same day, another dating violence suspect was sentenced to eight years in prison by a court for kidnapping his ex-girlfriend after she reported being abused by the suspect, her then-boyfriend.

The Seoul Central District Court sentenced a 28-year-old man, surnamed Kim, to eight years in prison on April 30 under charges of assaulting the victim and violating the Punishment of Violences Act, according to legal authorities on Tuesday.

The court also ordered the man to undergo 40 hours of drug treatment education and gave him a 300,000 won ($220) fine.

In February last year, Kim forced his ex-girlfriend into his car after he was reported for assaulting her. He visited the victim with his friend, saying that he came to move out his stuff.

After kidnapping her, he drove around Seoul's Gangnam and Gwanak districts for some 40 minutes.

While keeping her locked in the car, he cut off a self-protection smartwatch, which was provided to her by police, when she tried to use the device to contact authorities.

He is also reported to have assaulted the victim several times in September and October last year.

Kim was indicted by prosecutors under seven cases, including charges of exchanging and using illicit drugs, such as ketamine and methamphetamines.

He was also reported to have attacked authorities while he was staying in a detention center.

The court said that Kim had a history of crimes and had been punished several times already, including prison time, and was under watch, adding that the nature of his crimes was very bad.

The court pronounced him guilty of all his charges, except for crimes for which he submitted documents refusing punishment, and sentenced him to prison.

Kim has filed an appeal against the court’s decision.

BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]