Korean suspect in Thailand murder extradited from Vietnam after four months on the run

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Korean suspect in Thailand murder extradited from Vietnam after four months on the run

Published: 24 Sep. 2024, 11:34

LEE SOO-JUNG
lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr

A suspect, 39, who is accused of murdering a Korean tourist in Thailand, is extradited to Korea from Vietnam on Tuesday. The image shows the suspect being escorted by law enforcers at Incheon International Airport on the same day. [NEWS1]

A suspect, who had been on the run for four months following the murder of a Korean tourist in Thailand in May, was extradited from Vietnam to Korea on Tuesday, the National Police Agency said.

The 39-year-old suspect is accused of kidnapping and murdering a Korean tourist in his 30s in Pattaya, Thailand, and abandoning the victim’s body in a local reservoir, along with two accomplices.

The two accomplices were captured in May — one was arrested in Korea’s North Jeolla Province and the other was caught in Cambodia and later extradited to Korea in July. Both suspects are in detention and facing trial in Korea.

The Korean National Police Agency closely coordinated with law enforcement authorities in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam to trace and arrest the remaining fugitive. Interpol also issued a red notice for his capture.

The suspect was designated as a “key fugitive” by Korean police, who gathered intelligence and reports on his whereabouts through various channels.

On Sept. 11, the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency, which is in charge of the murder case, received a tip regarding his location. In response, a Korean officer in charge of international police cooperation was dispatched to Vietnam. The Korean police and the Korean Embassy in Vietnam requested swift action from local authorities.

On Sept. 12, just a day after the tip, Vietnamese law enforcement raided the suspect’s hideout and apprehended him.

The suspect reportedly used others’ identification cards and moved frequently between hideouts to evade capture.

Following his arrest, Korean police requested a prompt extradition, citing the severity of the crime and public interest.

A police official said the recent extradition “brings the mission to arrest suspects involved in the Pattaya murder case to an end.”

The official said that authorities will “reinforce international cooperation to ensure that suspects fleeing overseas are captured and brought to justice.”

BY LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]