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Sejong warns residents to 'stay alert' as search for stabbing suspect enters fourth day

Published: 13 Jun. 2025, 14:29

Police conduct an underwater search operation on June 13 at a reservoir in Gangnae-myeon, Cheongju, North Chungcheong, near the forested area where a man accused of stalking and murder was last seen. The manhunt entered its fourth day that day. [YONHAP]

Police on Friday entered their fourth day of tracking a man in his 40s who fled to Sejong after allegedly killing a woman he had been stalking in Daegu, according to authorities.

The Daegu Seongseo Police Precinct said Friday that the Daegu Metropolitan Police Agency, Sejong City Police Precinct and Chungbuk Provincial Police have mobilized hundreds of personnel, detection dogs and drones to find the suspect.

Manhunt underway in Sejong for suspect in fatal stabbing of woman

Officials say he broke into the home of a woman in her 50s in Daegu’s Dalseo District at around 3:30 a.m. on Tuesday and fatally stabbed her.

The suspect reportedly fled the scene in his vehicle and was last tracked to a mountainous area in Bugang-myeon, Sejong. Police believe he may be familiar with the terrain because his family grave site is nearby.

Investigators are considering the possibility that he may have crossed into neighboring Cheongju, North Chungcheong, via the mountains.

Police say the area is heavily forested and sparsely populated, with relatively few security cameras, which has hampered the search.

“We haven’t been able to trace the man’s phone signal in Bugang-myeon,” a police official said. “In many cases, suspects use burner phones.”

The apartment complex in Dalseo District, Daegu, where the suspect murdered a woman in her 50s whom he had allegedly been stalking [YONHAP]

Police are considering issuing a nationwide wanted notice if the search continues without results. Sejong has warned residents to avoid entering the mountains and stay alert in isolated areas.

Police said that the man had previously threatened the same woman with a knife about a month earlier. Officers were dispatched to the scene of the altercation, and the suspect was arrested on charges of special intimidation under the Stalking Punishment Act.

Prosecutors sought to detain the suspect, citing the need for an investigation with the man in custody, but the court denied the request, saying he was cooperating.

Following the incident, police classified the woman as at risk and issued her a smart watch for emergency alerts.

They also installed an AI-powered facial recognition CCTV camera at her residence. The camera system was designed to alert the woman and police if the man approached the vicinity. It would also enable the 112 emergency call center to monitor the area in real time and dispatch patrol units if necessary.

Investigators search a small reservoir in Heungdeok District, Cheongju, North Chungcheong, on June 13 for a man in his 40s suspected of murdering a woman he had been stalking in Daegu. [NEWS1]

Investigators believe the man was wearing a mask and scaled the building’s gas pipes to enter her sixth-floor apartment, avoiding the camera’s detection. Police added that the victim had recently voluntarily returned the smart watch.

Her family later found her unresponsive with multiple stab wounds. She was pronounced dead about an hour after being transported to a hospital.

“It’s unfortunate that the request for detention was dismissed,” said one investigator. “For now, all of our resources are focused on apprehending the suspect.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY BAEK KYUNG-SEO [[email protected]]