Police Probe Possible Additional Victims in 'Gangbuk District Motel Murders'

[Financial News] Police are investigating the possibility of additional crimes by a woman in her 20s, surnamed Kim, who has been arrested and referred to prosecutors on charges of causing the deaths of two men by giving them drinks laced with drugs at motels around Gangbuk District in Seoul. Investigators have identified circumstances that contradict Kim’s statement that she gave drugged drinks to only three known victims. If further victims are confirmed, the scope of the investigation could expand.
According to reporting by Financial News on the 25th, police have detected indications of additional offenses by Kim and have launched a preliminary inquiry before formal charges. Kim is accused of giving drinks containing a benzodiazepine-class drug to three men in their 20s between mid-December last year and the 9th of this month, causing the deaths of two and injuring one. However, police say they must conduct more detailed inquiries to determine whether there are indeed additional victims.
Investigators consider Kim’s statements to lack credibility and are continuing their probe. She initially claimed that, after conflicts arose, she only intended to make the victims sleep and did not expect them to die, thereby denying any intent to kill. Police, however, concluded that she had murderous intent, citing the fact that she increased the dosage of the drug after the first incident and findings from a forensic analysis of her mobile phone. On that basis, they upgraded the initial charge from causing death by injury to murder. The investigation also found that she had used OpenAI’s ChatGPT to search for information such as "What happens if you take sleeping pills with alcohol," "How much is dangerous," and "Can it be fatal," which raised further suspicion about her intent.
There is also speculation that Kim may have begun her crimes while gradually increasing the amount of drugs she used. Some analysts suggest she may have given drugged drinks to assess the effects of an overdose before committing murder. The person believed to be an additional victim is thought to have met Kim between her first and second known offenses. During police questioning, Kim reportedly stated that after the first victim survived, she more than doubled the amount of the drug she mixed into a hangover-relief drink before giving it to the second and third victims, who later died.
Kim maintained contact with men through social networking services (SNS) and continued using SNS up until shortly before her arrest. Because she was an active SNS user, some observers argue it is quite possible that there are more victims among those who interacted with her online. Police have already conducted a comprehensive review of people she contacted, based on data obtained from a forensic examination of her phone. They plan to send the results of a psychopathy assessment conducted on Kim to prosecutors as soon as they are available.
Experts stress that a thorough investigation and severe punishment are necessary. Lee Yoon-ho, professor emeritus in the Department of Police Administration at Dongguk University, noted, "For women, who generally find it harder than men to use weapons, one of the methods available to commit a brutal killing is poisoning." He added, "From the victim’s perspective, poisoning is an extremely cruel crime, and with two people already dead, investigators and the courts must conduct an exhaustive inquiry to prevent any loss of public trust."
jyseo@fnnews.com Seo Ji-yoon Reporter