Unsolved Case May Be Solved... Prime Suspect in 22-Year-Old 'Jeju Lawyer Murder Case' Arrested

Mr. Kim Flees Abroad Before Statute of Limitations Expires... Punishable
Jeju Police Agency Arrests on Murder Solicitation Charges

On the afternoon of the 18th, the police escorted Mr. Kim, dressed in black top and bottom, from Jeju International Airport to the Jeju Police Agency.

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] Kim Mo, the prime suspect in the long-unsolved representative case of Jeju, the 'Lawyer Lee Seung-yong Murder Case,' was arrested 22 years after the incident occurred.

Jeju Police Agency announced on the 20th that they had arrested Kim on charges of murder solicitation and applied for an arrest warrant.

Previously, on November 5, 1999, Lawyer Lee (then 45 years old) was found dead in the driver's seat of a passenger car parked near Jeju Buk Elementary School in Samdo 2-dong, Jeju City. At the time of discovery, it was confirmed that Lee had been stabbed multiple times in the chest and abdomen with a sharp object and had died from heavy bleeding.

Subsequently, Jeju Police Agency formed a special investigation team to investigate, but it was difficult to secure clues, and the case remained unsolved after the statute of limitations expired in 2014.

However, the case was reexamined after an interview with Kim was broadcast on SBS's "Unanswered Questions" in June last year. At that time, Kim, who was staying overseas, claimed, "I planned the crime under the orders of the head of the Jeju-based violent organization Yutakpa, which I belonged to, and 'Galmaegi,' a member of the same organization, killed Lawyer Lee."

He said, "Originally, the boss only ordered to stab the leg to intimidate, but 'Galmaegi,' who followed my words and carried out the crime, ended up killing the victim during the victim's resistance."

However, since Kim, who claimed to be the instigator, described the situation at the time of the incident in great detail, there is even speculation that he may have actually committed the murder or been present at the scene.

Jeju Provincial Police Agency. / Photo by Yonhap News

Meanwhile, Kim, who was staying in Cambodia, was caught by the police on June 23 last year while moving in a vehicle on charges of illegal stay. The police judged that Kim's interview content could be considered a confession, repatriated Kim from Cambodia, and transferred him to Jeju on the 18th.

To verify the truth of Kim's statements, it is necessary to investigate the then boss who allegedly ordered the crime and 'Galmaegi,' who actually committed the crime, but it is known that both have already passed away.

Kang Kyung-nam, head of the Violent Crimes Division at Jeju Police Agency, said at a briefing on the 20th, "We plan to conduct a broad investigation into the possibility that Kim directly committed the crime, the theory of a mastermind, and the motives behind it."

A police official stated, "Since Kim fled overseas in March 2014, eight months before the statute of limitations expired, the statute of limitations was suspended from that point, and it is judged that he can be punished as a murderer."

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