[Breaking] 'Seongbuk Teen Girl Murder' Man in His 50s Detained... “Risk of Destroying Evidence and Flight”

[Financial News] A man in his 50s suspected of killing a teenage girl at a lodging establishment in Seoul’s Seongbuk District has been detained.
According to legal sources on the 13th, the Seoul Northern District Court, with senior judge Kang Young-hoon in charge of warrants, issued an arrest warrant for Jin (59), who is suspected of murder, citing concerns that he could destroy evidence or flee.
Jin did not appear for the pre-detention hearing for suspects (the substantive review of the arrest warrant), which was scheduled for 10:30 a.m. that day. Jin had repeatedly stated that he did not intend to take part in the hearing, and the court was reportedly notified of this. The reason for his absence has not been confirmed.
Under the Criminal Procedure Rules, if a suspect refuses to appear on the date of a hearing, a judge may proceed without the suspect. Accordingly, the court conducted a written review based on the investigation records and other materials and assessed whether detention was necessary.
The police said there were no cases under review so far concerning the public disclosure of suspects’ identities. However, if an arrest warrant is issued, they are expected to consider whether to disclose the suspect’s personal information in accordance with standard procedures.
Jin was placed under emergency arrest on suspicion of killing teenage girl A at a lodging establishment in Jeongneung-dong, Seongbuk-gu, at around 1:40 a.m. on the 11th.
Investigators found that A had been the victim of a statutory rape of a minor committed by Jin’s son, who is in his 20s, last January. After a complaint from A’s parents prompted an investigation, the Seoul Nowon Police Station referred Jin’s son to prosecutors without detention in March.
The police are also investigating a separate case involving theft, receiving stolen property, and fraud, in which B, a person in their 20s who was in a common-law relationship with Jin, Jin’s son, and A were involved.


[email protected] Seo Ji-yoon Reporter