Death Penalty Sought for Kwon Jae-chan in Murder of Middle-aged Woman and Accomplice

"Attempt to Conceal Crime by Dumping Bodies After Serial Murders... Different from Ordinary Homicide Crimes"

Kwon Jae-chan (53) is being transferred to the prosecution after leaving Michuhol Police Station in Michuhol-gu, Incheon, on the morning of December 14 last year. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] Kwon Jae-chan (53), who murdered a middle-aged woman he knew, disposed of the body, and then killed an accomplice who helped him, has been sentenced to death. It was judged that this case is different from ordinary murder crimes because he committed serial murders of two people and tried to conceal the crime by disposing of the bodies.

On the 10th, the prosecution requested the death penalty for Kwon at the sentencing hearing held at the Incheon District Court Criminal Division 15 (Presiding Judge Lee Gyu-hoon), where he was indicted on charges including robbery-murder and corpse disposal.

The prosecution stated the reason for the request, saying, "The defendant committed serial murders of two people and tried to conceal the crime by disposing of the bodies. This is different from ordinary murder crimes."

Kwon was arrested and indicted on charges of strangling a woman in her 50s, Ms. A, whom he knew, in the underground parking lot of a commercial building in Michuhol-gu, Incheon, on the morning of December 4 last year, stealing money and valuables, and disposing of the body in the trunk of a passenger car. The next day, he was investigated for killing his accomplice, a man in his 40s, Mr. B, by beating him with a blunt weapon he had prepared in advance in a nearby mountain in Eulwang-ri, Jung-gu, Incheon, and secretly burying the body nearby.

At the time, Kwon had a debt of 90 million won due to gambling, and after being sued for fraud and becoming credit-impaired, it was confirmed that he deliberately approached Ms. A.

Previously, in 2003, Kwon also murdered a pawnshop owner, Mr. C (69 years old at the time of death), in Incheon, stole 320,000 won, fled to Japan illegally, but was later caught and served 15 years in prison.