The Signal Left by the 'Lee Chun-jae Case'

<More Cinematic Than a Movie... No Need to Remember Anymore>

2011 Lee Chun-jae DNA Registered
Took 8 More Years to Confirm the Culprit
Police Negligence Still Ongoing
Strict and Fair Investigation Needed

Unjustly Imprisoned Mr. Yoon Under Retrial
Compensation Needed for Victims and Survivors

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] The Lee Chun-jae serial murder case, once considered the worst unsolved case in history, has been fully revealed after 33 years. Although it took a long time, the truth was finally uncovered. However, the pain of the victims' families, who had to endure the ordeal without even knowing who the perpetrator was, and the mistakes made by the police at the time have also been exposed in detail, leaving painful scars. The investigation has concluded, but the case remains ongoing.

The Power of Forensic Science... Continuous Enhancement of Capabilities Required

The Lee Chun-jae case above all highlights the need to strengthen forensic investigation capabilities. In the late 1980s, when the case occurred, forensic techniques in Korea were still in their infancy. Lee Chun-jae was investigated three times but was excluded from the investigation because the crime scene evidence and blood type and morphological findings differed. There is regret that if current forensic capabilities had been in place, the number of victims would have been significantly reduced. Later, in November 2011, Lee Chun-jae’s DNA was registered in the database while he was incarcerated, but it took another eight years to identify him from DNA detected in existing evidence. The Lee Chun-jae case reconfirms the imperative that police and investigative agencies must continuously strive to enhance forensic capabilities.

On the morning of the 2nd, Baek Yong-ju, Commissioner of the Gyeonggi Southern Provincial Police Agency, bowed his head in apology to the victims and their families while announcing the investigation results of the Lee Chun-jae serial murder case at the Gyeonggi Southern Provincial Police Agency in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

When Will Police Negligence Disappear?

The police’s inadequate response at the time caused great sacrifice. Initially, the police treated each incident as an individual case and only formed a task force after the fourth incident. In the case, which was renamed from the Hwaseong elementary school student disappearance case to a murder case after being identified as Lee Chun-jae’s crime, police misconduct was confirmed, such as failing to inform the family despite discovering the victim’s belongings. Initial measures and evidence collection were also conducted very poorly. This is not just an issue from 30 years ago. In numerous cases, including last year’s murder of Go Yoo-jeong’s ex-husband and the 2018 “Tooth Fairy Dad” Lee Young-hak murder case, poor initial investigations have been confirmed. As the adjustment of investigative authority between prosecutors and police is fully implemented, the police’s investigative powers will expand further. This makes it a critical time for the police to take proactive initial actions and conduct strict and fair investigations.

What About the Victims’ Pain?

A retrial is currently underway for Yoon Mo (53), who was wrongfully imprisoned for 20 years after being falsely accused as the perpetrator of Lee Chun-jae’s eighth case. It has been confirmed that Yoon confessed falsely due to police violence and abuse. Lee Chun-jae admitted that the eighth case was also his crime, and the police acknowledged this through reinvestigation. With the final confirmation that the Hwaseong elementary school student, who had been missing for 30 years, was also a victim of Lee Chun-jae, the bereaved family has filed a lawsuit seeking state compensation. Compensation and consolation from state institutions for the victims who had to endure years of suffering remain tasks to be resolved in the future.