Mapo Officetel Confinement and Murder, Police: "No Prosecution in Yeongdeungpo as Victim Withdraws Complaint"

"Victim Sent 'Intent to Withdraw Complaint' Text Message to Investigator Around May 3"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] Regarding the case of a man in his 20s, Mr. A, who died after being subjected to cruel treatment by two men in an officetel in Seoul, claims have emerged that the victim's family had expressed a desire to withdraw the complaint in a past case where they had filed charges but the suspects were cleared.

On the 17th, a Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency official stated, "In the case previously transferred from Daegu Dalseong Police Station to Yeongdeungpo Police Station in Seoul, where the victim's family had filed charges against the suspects for assault, it was investigated that the victim expressed the intention to withdraw the complaint in early May."

Earlier, the police had said, "On April 30 of this year, Mr. A's family reported him missing to Daegu Dalseong Police Station, and in November of last year, the family, on behalf of the victim, filed charges against the suspects for assault at Daegu Dalseong Police Station. Subsequently, the case was transferred to Yeongdeungpo Police Station in Seoul and a decision not to prosecute was made on the 27th of last month."

A police official explained, "On May 3, the victim conveyed his intention to withdraw the complaint to the investigating officer via text message, and it was confirmed that this was not a voluntary act."

However, separately, it was understood that the suspects harbored resentment due to this complaint and subjected Mr. A to confinement and cruel treatment. The police are currently reviewing whether to apply the aggravated punishment provisions for retaliatory crimes under the Special Act.

A police official stated, "The suspects, holding a grudge over the victim's complaint, brought the victim from a provincial area to Seoul on March 31, kept him under coercion, forced him to give false statements to investigative authorities, and actively obstructed the investigation."

Additionally, the police official said, "It appears that the assault case is related to this incident, and it is necessary to verify whether there are additional crimes such as extortion."

Meanwhile, on the 13th at around 6 a.m., the police responded to a report and discovered the 20-year-old male victim, Mr. A, found dead naked in an officetel in Yeonnam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul.

The police urgently arrested two men who were friends of the victim and living together in the officetel on charges of confinement resulting in death. Subsequently, as it was confirmed that the victim was malnourished, underweight, and bore signs of assault, the police changed the charges against them to murder and applied for arrest warrants, which were issued on the 16th.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.