The Unfinished Story of "Memories of Murder"... "Mistakes and Injustices Must Be Corrected"

Yoon Seong-yeo Acquitted in Retrial
But No One Can Compensate for Lost Time

'Hwaseong Elementary Student Disappearance Case' Revealed as Lee Chun-jae's Crime
Bereaved Family Files State Compensation Claim...Mother Passed Away Without Clearing Grievance

Innocent Person Arrested, 5 Investigators Promoted at the Time
Mistake Resolution Is an Ongoing Process

On the afternoon of the 17th, at the Suwon District Court in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, Yoon Seong-yeo, the petitioner for the retrial in the 8th case of the Lee Chun-jae serial murders, was acquitted and received congratulations from acquaintances as he left the courthouse.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwanju] The police and prosecutors who investigated the initial case, as well as the court that delivered the verdict, all bowed their heads. Yoon Seong-yeo (53), who was wrongfully imprisoned for 20 years after being falsely accused as the true culprit of the 8th case in the Lee Chun-jae serial murder series, smiled brightly after being acquitted in a retrial on the 17th. Along with the words, "I hope fair trials will be conducted from now on."

The 'Lee Chun-jae Serial Murder Case,' unveiled after 30 years, was confirmed to have been caused by coercion, violence, and inadequate investigations by the police and prosecutors at the time. The court also failed to detect errors in the evidence during the trial process, causing suffering to an innocent person. Although Yoon was able to somewhat clear his name through the retrial, no one can compensate for the time he lost.

The pain of the victims caused by this case has not yet ended. In particular, the damage caused by the police's inadequate investigation must be remedied, even if belatedly. A representative case is the 'Hwaseong Elementary School Student Disappearance Case.' The incident dates back to July 7, 1989. At that time, Kim Mo (then 8 years old), a second-grade elementary school student, disappeared while returning home from school in Taean-eup, Hwaseong-gun, Gyeonggi Province (currently Byeongjeom-dong, Hwaseong City). The police found Kim's backpack and clothes five months later but could not find any significant clues, and it remained an unsolved missing person case for 30 years, as had been known.

However, the truth was revealed last year through Lee Chun-jae's confession. This case was also one of the serial murders committed by Lee Chun-jae. In particular, through the police's reinvestigation, it was confirmed that the investigators at the time found Kim's belongings and the bones of both hands tied with a jump rope but downplayed it as a simple disappearance case and actively tried to cover up the crime by writing false investigation reports. The police have booked the investigators at the time on charges such as corpse concealment and evidence tampering, but the statute of limitations has passed, making actual punishment difficult.

The family of the 'Hwaseong missing elementary school student,' whose murder was confessed by Lee Chun-jae, is paying tribute at a park in Hwaseong City, Gyeonggi Province, where the victim's belongings were found at the time of disappearance, on the morning of July 7.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

The families, who had been desperately searching for their child, believing she was only missing for 30 years, were shocked to the point of losing their appetite. Although they held a funeral and a 49-day memorial service belatedly, the time of suffering had already passed. Ultimately, the bereaved family filed a complaint against the investigating police officers in January this year on charges including special neglect of duty, and in March, they filed a state compensation lawsuit. Their intention was to reveal the truth about Kim's wrongful death and the concealment and fabrication of the case by public authority, and to hold those responsible accountable.

The first trial is scheduled for March 18 next year, one year after the lawsuit was filed, but Kim's mother passed away last September without resolving her grievance. It is said that her chronic illness rapidly worsened after it was revealed that her daughter's disappearance was a murder case committed by Lee Chun-jae. Attorney Lee Jeong-do of the law firm Chambeon, who is representing the bereaved family, expressed regret, saying, "The related procedures have been continuously delayed due to investigations and other reasons."

The police's mistakes must be corrected, albeit belatedly. Five police officers who arrested Yoon instead of the real culprit at the time were promoted. Since Yoon's innocence was confirmed through the retrial, there is a growing call to nullify those promotions. Upon the retrial results, the police issued a statement saying, "We bow our heads and apologize to all those involved, including the retrial petitioner, victims, and their families," and "Although we caught the true culprit of the serial murder case through a belated reinvestigation and proved the petitioner's innocence, we deeply regret causing great harm by branding an innocent young man as a murderer and making him serve 20 years in prison." However, there was no mention of plans to discipline the promoted officers at the time. The time for proper victim recovery and accountability is still 'in progress.'