Prosecutors and Police Reveal Serial Killer's Sexual Crimes from 23 Years Ago... "Tracking the Culprit with Forensic Investigation"

Prosecutors and Police Conduct Full DNA Database Review
10 Referred to Trial, 3 Under Investigation

Prosecutors and police have confirmed that they uncovered additional sexual violence crimes committed by a serial killer through scientific investigation using genetic information (DNA).

On the 31st, officials from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Investigation Headquarters and the National Forensic Service are conducting an on-site investigation at the Itaewon crowd crush accident site in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

On the 25th, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office and the National Police Agency announced that they had apprehended the true perpetrators of 13 sexual violence cases as a result of reinvestigation using the DNA database. Since November last year, the prosecution and police have conducted a comprehensive investigation of long-term unsolved sexual violence cases where DNA was found at the crime scenes but the perpetrators were not identified.

As a result of the investigation, the true perpetrators were identified in a total of 13 cases, with 10 individuals sent to trial and 3 under investigation.

In the case of a special robbery and rape incident that occurred in May 2000 in Osan, Gyeonggi Province, the perpetrator broke into a house, stole valuables, stabbed the victim’s side with a weapon, and attempted to rape her but failed. Although DNA was secured from the weapon at the time, the perpetrator was not identified.

The prosecution and police searched newly accumulated DNA data at the National Forensic Service and confirmed that Shin Mo, who is currently serving a life sentence after being convicted of three murders and two attempted murders in March 2011, was the true perpetrator. On the 12th, he was additionally indicted on charges of special robbery and rape.

According to the prosecution, Shin was arrested for killing a woman in her 30s and stealing valuables in Jinju, Gyeongnam, in October 2010, and was sentenced to life imprisonment the following year. During the investigation, Shin shocked authorities by confessing to committing two murders and two attempted murders in Jinju and Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, in 2000 and 2001.

It was also confirmed that Shin had served 12 years in prison after being convicted of murder in 1987 and served 3 years and 6 months for robbery and injury in 2002. The prosecution and police further confirmed that the true perpetrator of a special robbery and rape case that occurred in May 2003 was about to be released after serving time for another crime, prompting a swift reinvestigation. The suspect was re-arrested just before release and sent to trial.

Meanwhile, a representative from the Supreme Prosecutors' Office stated, "We will continue to actively pursue scientific investigations to track down perpetrators to the end and ensure they receive punishments commensurate with their crimes."

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