Prosecutors Indict Main Suspect in 'New World Hotel Murder Case' After 29 Years

The main perpetrator of the so-called ‘New World Hotel Murder Case’ that took place in the heart of Gangnam, Seoul, will stand trial after 29 years.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office announced on the 26th that Mr. A was arrested and indicted on charges of murder and violation of the stowaway control law.

Mr. A (a member of the Yeongsanpa action squad) is accused of stabbing two members of the rival gang 'Shinyangpa' to death with a weapon in 1994 and attempting to kill two others.

It was investigated that he committed these crimes to avenge the murder of his own gang members who had been killed during a group fight with rival gang members in the past.

At that time, 10 members of the Yeongsanpa, including the boss, advisor, action leader, and action squad members who participated in the crime, were mostly sentenced to life imprisonment or more than 10 years in prison.

However, Mr. A, one of the main perpetrators, fled to China in 2003 and evaded the investigation for about 20 years, and until recently, the prosecution had suspended the indictment.

Exhausted from a long life on the run, Mr. A voluntarily reported to the Chinese consulate in Shenyang in March last year, stating that he had stowed away to China in September 2016 after the statute of limitations for the murder case had expired, and returned to Korea.

The prosecution, keeping open the possibility that Mr. A fled abroad before the statute of limitations expired, formed a dedicated investigation team and conducted a full reinvestigation. As expected, they confirmed that he had stowed away to China around the fall of 2003 and applied the murder charge.

The prosecution has issued a public warrant for Jeong Dong-seop (55), the Yeongsanpa action leader who led the crime alongside Mr. A. Jeong is believed to have fled overseas, but his exact whereabouts remain unknown.

The prosecution is expanding the investigation, believing that Yeongsanpa members have maintained their network and supported the escape activities of Mr. A and Jeong Dong-seop.

Lee Young-nam, deputy chief prosecutor of the Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office, said, “We have launched a full reinvestigation with the determination to hold those responsible for the murder accountable and ensure they face strict legal judgment,” adding, “We will track Jeong Dong-seop to the end so that he receives punishment commensurate with his crimes.”

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