"He's in the Basement"...Cheongju Karaoke Room Murder Suspect's Identity to Be Revealed on the 27th

Attacked Two Acquaintances While They Slept: One Dead, One Seriously Injured
Police Cite Public Interest, Severity, and Brutality in Disclosure Decision

The identity of a man in his 60s who wielded a weapon at acquaintances in a karaoke room in Cheongju, killing one person and injuring another, will be made public.

Suspect in Cheongju Karaoke Room Murder Case. Photo by Yonhap News

On May 18, the North Chungcheong Provincial Police Agency announced that it had convened an identity disclosure review committee and decided to release the personal information of Mr. A (in his 60s), who was arrested on charges of murder. The committee reportedly took into account both the brutality of the crime and the gravity of the harm caused in making its decision to disclose the suspect's information.

However, since Mr. A's side has raised an objection, the release of his personal information will be subject to a five-day waiting period in accordance with relevant laws. As a result, starting from May 27, Mr. A's name, age, and face will be posted on the North Chungcheong Provincial Police Agency website for 30 days.

Mr. A is accused of wielding a weapon at a karaoke room in Cheongju in the early morning of May 9, killing a man in his 50s (Mr. B) and injuring a man in his 40s (Mr. C). It was found that at the time, Mr. A was intoxicated and, after getting into arguments with the victims who were each sleeping in separate rooms of the karaoke establishment, committed the crime.

According to the police, at approximately 5:11 a.m. on May 9, they received a report from Mr. C stating, "I was stabbed." After escaping the scene despite being stabbed, Mr. C reportedly told the responding officers, "He's waiting in the basement."

However, at that time, the police were unable to pinpoint the exact location of the incident and searched the surrounding area. At the time, both the suspect and another victim, Mr. B, were together in a karaoke room on the basement floor, but the police did not attempt to enter because the door was locked and there were no visible signs of blood or evidence of a crime. As a result, they failed to consider the possibility that a murder had occurred inside.

Later, at approximately 6:40 a.m., when the door to the karaoke room was opened, the police entered, arrested Mr. A in the act, and found Mr. B dead inside the room. The police believe that the door, equipped with a digital lock, was opened by the owner of the establishment, who had been sleeping inside. Reportedly, the owner, after assigning separate rooms to regular customers, fell asleep and was unaware that the incident had taken place.

The police are investigating the circumstances and motives behind the crime, including whether there was a grudge or if the act was premeditated, based on the fact that Mr. A was carrying a weapon even before the incident.

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