Only Jo Hyun-su Was Handcuffed... Why Was Lee Eun-hae Able to 'Hide Her Face'?

According to Regulations Allowing Easing of Restraints Like Ropes and Handcuffs for Elderly and Women

Suspect Lee Eun-hae (31) in the 'Valley Murder' case is entering the Incheon District Court in Michuhol-gu, Incheon City on the afternoon of the 19th to attend a pre-arrest detention hearing (warrant review). / Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] Attention is focused on why only Lee Eunhae, among the suspects in the 'Valley Murder' case, was not restrained with a hogtie while being transported to the court for a pre-arrest detention hearing (warrant review) on the 19th.

At around 3:20 PM that day, Lee and Cho appeared in front of the warrant review room at the Incheon District Court in Michuhol-gu, Incheon.

They appeared wearing face shields, masks, and gloves. Cho, who appeared first, quickly passed by with his head down without saying a word. Cho was restrained with a hogtie.

Lee, who appeared afterward, covered her face with hands wearing white gloves. Although Lee's wrists were handcuffed, she was not restrained with a hogtie like Cho, allowing her to cover her face.

This is due to the 2018 revision of the Ministry of Justice directive "Guidelines on Inmate Management and Escort Duties," which allows the head of detention centers to ease or omit protective restraints such as hogties and handcuffs based on their judgment.

The guidelines apply to elderly, women, disabled, severely ill inmates, inmates with a significantly low risk of escape, and inmates transported through designated routes connected by underground passages between correctional facilities and prosecution offices. In Lee's case, her gender was considered, and thus hogties were not used.

Lee and Cho are accused of forcing Lee's husband, Mr. A, to dive into the water at Yongsogyeok Valley in Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi Province, in June 2019, causing him to drown and die. They are also accused of attempting to kill Mr. A in February and May of the same year by feeding him food mixed with pufferfish poison and by pushing him into fishing pond water, but these attempts failed.

The two fled before a prosecution investigation on December 14 last year but were caught four months later on the 16th at an officetel in Deogyang-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi Province.