Couple Suspected of Higher-Ups' Involvement in Gangnam Abduction and Murder Says "40 Million Won Was a Loan"

The couple, who are being pointed to as the masterminds behind the Gangnam kidnapping and murder case, claimed that the 40 million won deposited to Lee Gyeong-woo (36) was not a down payment for a contract killing but money they had lent him.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The husband, Mr. Yoo's lawyer, met with reporters at the Suseo Police Station in Seoul on the 5th and said, "The 40 million won was an amount the couple lent to Lee Gyeong-woo in September 2021," adding, "They lent 35 million won to Lee Gyeong-woo with a promissory note stipulating a repayment period of 5 years and an interest rate of 2%, and gave an additional 5 million won." However, he added that no promissory note was written for the 5 million won.

Furthermore, the lawyer explained, "Mr. Yoo admits to meeting Lee Gyeong-woo," but said, "He met him because Lee Gyeong-woo asked to borrow 60 million won. The purpose of the loan request is unknown."

However, the police suspect the 40 million won to be a down payment for a contract killing. This suspicion is based on the overlapping movements after the crime and the fact that civil and criminal lawsuits are entangled between Mr. Yoo and his wife and the victim.

The police arrested Mr. Yoo, who is accused of instigating robbery and murder, at 3:06 p.m. the previous day in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. His wife, Mrs. Hwang, voluntarily accompanied the police. On the same day, the police also conducted a search and seizure of the couple's residence and vehicle.

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