Prosecutors Arrest and Indict Gangnam Kidnapping and Murder Suspects... 70 Million Won Seized as Crime Funds Preservation

A group involved in kidnapping and murdering a woman in her 40s in the heart of Gangnam-gu, Seoul, has all been brought to trial.

A trio consisting of Lee Kyung-woo, Hwang Dae-han, and Yeon Ji-ho, who were arrested for kidnapping, murdering, and disposing of the body of a woman in her 40s in Gangnam, Seoul [Photo by Yonhap News]

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office Special Investigation Team (led by Chief Prosecutor Kim Soo-min) on the 28th indicted Lee Kyung-woo, Hwang Dae-han, and Yeon Ji-ho, the 'trio' who kidnapped and murdered Choi, along with the couple Yoo Sang-won and Hwang Eun-hee, identified as the masterminds, on charges of robbery-murder and attempted robbery. Lee Kyung-woo, Hwang Dae-han, and Yeon Ji-ho were also charged with corpse disposal and violation of the Narcotics Control Act (psychotropic substances). Lee Mo, who colluded in the crime, was indicted without detention on charges of attempted robbery, and Lee Kyung-woo’s wife Heo Mo was indicted without detention on charges of aiding robbery, theft, and violation of the Narcotics Control Act (psychotropic substances).

The prosecution also confirmed that Yoo Sang-won and Lee Kyung-woo attempted but failed to access Choi’s cryptocurrency exchange account on the day of the crime to seize her cryptocurrency, adding charges of violation of the Information and Communications Network Act (information network intrusion). Furthermore, to confiscate the 70 million KRW crime funds Lee Kyung-woo received from Yoo Sang-won and Hwang Eun-hee, the court issued a seizure preservation order on Lee Kyung-woo’s accounts and cryptocurrency exchange accounts, which was executed.

They are accused of kidnapping Choi on March 29 in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, putting her in a vehicle, confiscating her mobile phone and other items, injecting her with anesthetics to kill her, and secretly burying her in a mountain in Daedeok-gu, Daejeon the following day. Lee Mo was confirmed to have stalked and surveilled the victim at her office and residence from January to March. Heo Mo is accused of secretly taking psychotropic drugs from the hospital where she works in December last year and March this year and delivering them to her husband Lee Kyung-woo.

Investigations revealed that the group planned and executed the crime over six months. The couple Yoo Sang-won and Hwang Eun-hee had invested a large sum in Purever Coin through the victim Choi in October 2020, suffered significant losses, and had disputes that severely damaged their relationship, leading to the planning of the incident. The couple directly invested 100 million KRW in Purever Coin and planned to attract 8 billion KRW in investments, gathering investors to invest an additional 3 billion KRW. However, the market price plummeted, and Choi did not distribute the coins, instead inciting investors to criminally accuse Yoo Sang-won and Hwang Eun-hee, escalating the conflict. Amid this, around July to August 2022, when Lee Kyung-woo proposed the crime, the couple accepted and paid a down payment of 70 million KRW. A month later, Lee Kyung-woo, along with Hwang Dae-han and Yeon Ji-ho, began preparing for the crime by purchasing necessary items. It was also confirmed that they believed having Hwang Dae-han and Yeon Ji-ho, who had no prior acquaintance with Choi, directly involved would lead to Choi being treated as missing, thus avoiding investigation by authorities.

Wealthy couple Yoo Sang-won and Hwang Eun-hee, identified as the masterminds behind the abduction and murder of a woman in her 40s in Gangnam, Seoul [Image source=Yonhap News]

Before receiving the case from the police, the investigation team meticulously analyzed over 20 related civil and criminal cases to prepare for the investigation. After the case was transferred, they re-forensically examined 829 vehicle black box videos, mobile phones, PCs, and other materials beyond what the police provided, securing crucial evidence such as voice recordings. They also conducted detention center searches, improved black box audio quality, and sought expert consultations to verify the facts of the case.

A prosecution official stated, "The prosecutor in charge of the investigation will directly participate in the trial to maintain a flawless prosecution so that the defendants receive sentences commensurate with their crimes, and we will do our utmost to achieve this."

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