Police on Wednesday revealed the identities and photos of a couple suspected of orchestrating a recent kidnapping and murder of a woman from southern Seoul.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency identified the two suspects as Yoo Sang-won, 50, and Hwang Eun-hee, 48. The husband, Yoo, and his wife, Hwang, were arrested by Seoul's Suseo Police Station on Saturday and Monday, respectively, on charges of aiding and abetting a robbery and murder.
A committee under the agency made the decision, citing the gravity and viciousness of their crime, as well as the sufficient evidence secured from their accomplices.
Under criminal law, law enforcement can release the identities of suspects in heinous crimes for public safety.
The couple, who are in a common-law relationship, are believed to have hired Lee Kyeong-woo, 35, to kill a 48-year-old woman with whom they had a dispute over a failed cryptocurrency investment.
Under Lee's directive, two other suspects allegedly kidnapped the woman in Seoul on March 29, and killed and buried her in the central city of Daejeon the next day.
The trio were arrested on April 3 and sent to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office on April 9 for further investigation and indictment.
A police investigation revealed Lee proposed the murder to the couple, who subsequently paid Lee a total of 70 million won ($53,673) since September last year to carry out the murder.
Yoo also met with Lee twice after the incident and accessed the victim's cryptocurrency account, according to police.
The couple denied the charges. Police plan to transfer them to the prosecution Thursday.
The couple, Kim and the victim were among co-investors in a cryptocurrency in 2020-21. After the digital currency fell sharply in February 2021, Lee, the victim and other investors believed Hwang had manipulated the token's price. They extorted 190 million won worth of cryptocurrency coins from her.
Lee and the victim were investigated by police for blackmailing Hwang, though only Lee was transferred to the prosecution for further investigation.
Lee and the Yoo couple reconciled, but the latter and the victim had since been involved in civil suits over the investment. (Yonhap)
