'20s Male Suspect in Mapo Officetel Confinement and Murder to Head to Seoul Around Late March... Suspected Forced Labor (Comprehensive)'

B and C, who are accused of confining and murdering their friend A in an officetel in Mapo-gu, Seoul, are attending a pre-arrest detention hearing at the Seoul Western District Court in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 15th.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] It has been confirmed that Mr. A, a man in his 20s who died after being subjected to cruel treatment by two men in an officetel in Seoul, was receiving treatment in a certain provincial area and was brought to Seoul by the two suspects at the end of March this year, where he lived.

◆Victim living in the provinces moved to Seoul in March this year=On the 17th, a Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency official stated, "(The suspects) harbored resentment over the victim's accusation and brought the victim, who was in the provinces, to Seoul on March 31 this year, forcing him to make false statements under coercion and actively obstructing the investigation," adding, "To prove the charges, digital forensics were conducted on three mobile phones belonging to suspects Kim (20) and Ahn (20), and two mobile phones of victim A. CCTV footage around the crime scene and related locations has been secured and is under analysis."

The two suspects are known to be middle school and university classmates who started living together in an officetel in Seoul since June last year. Victim A, who lived in the provinces, appeared to have visited the officetel frequently. Later, when victim A was voluntarily taken to Yangjae Police Substation in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on November 4 last year, police officers who noticed signs of assault on A’s body contacted A’s father and handed him over directly.

Subsequently, treatment for victim A began, and on November 22 of the same year, the victim appeared at Dalseong Police Station in Daegu and gave a victim statement. Since Dalseong Police Station did not have jurisdiction over the assault case, it was transferred to Yeongdeungpo Police Station in Seoul. Investigations began, including suspect interrogations on January 24 this year.

◆Victim seemingly forced to work as a day laborer at a logistics center=The suspects, holding a grudge over the assault accusation, brought victim A to Seoul on March 31 this year and kept him under coercion. A police official said, "We secured CCTV footage showing the three moving into a villa in Yeonnam-dong, the crime scene, where the victim was unable to walk properly and was supported into the house," adding, "After bringing him to Seoul, the suspects reportedly held resentment over the accusation and did not provide proper meals."

The suspects are known to have forced victim A to work as a day laborer at a logistics center. A police official stated, "(The suspects) admitted to forcing day labor work," and added, "We will comprehensively analyze bank accounts to determine whether the suspects gained financial benefits through other means such as monetary debts." Initially, the suspects claimed the motive for abuse was related to debt, but investigations revealed no debt relationship between the victim and suspects.

The police believe the victim was involved in labor related to the logistics center.

◆"Non-prosecution of assault charges followed victim’s intention to withdraw accusation"=It was also confirmed that on the 3rd of last month, the suspects forced the victim to send a text message to the investigating officer expressing his intention to withdraw the accusation. According to the police, the victim filed an assault complaint against the suspects at Dalseong Police Station in Daegu with his father on November 8 last year.

A police official said, "The case, which was transferred from Dalseong Police Station in Daegu to Yeongdeungpo Police Station in Seoul after the victim’s family filed an assault complaint against the suspects, was found to have had the victim express his intention to withdraw the accusation in early May."

Earlier, the police stated, "On April 30 this year, A’s family reported him missing to Dalseong Police Station in Daegu, and in November last year, the family filed an assault complaint on behalf of the victim against the suspects at Dalseong Police Station. The case was then transferred to Yeongdeungpo Police Station in Seoul and was decided to be non-prosecuted on the 27th of last month."

Victim A was found naked and deceased at an officetel in Yeonnam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, after a report was received around 6 a.m. on the 13th. The police urgently arrested two men who were living with the victim as friends on charges of confinement resulting in death. After confirming that the victim was malnourished, underweight, and bore signs of assault, the police changed the charges against the suspects to murder and applied for arrest warrants, which were issued on the 16th.

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