Testimony from Friend Who Proposed "I'll Give You 20 Million Won to Break Up"
"Repaid Debt of Lee Eunhae's Father"
"Borrowed 10 Million Won in Private Loan with 1 Million Won Daily Interest"
Suspects Lee Eun-hae (31, left) and Jo Hyun-soo (30) in the "Valley Murder" case are entering the Incheon District Court in Michuhol-gu, Incheon, on the afternoon of April 19 to attend a pre-arrest detention hearing (warrant review). [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Gun-chan] Testimony has emerged that Lee Eun-hae (31), the defendant in the 'valley murder' case, used 2 million won per month on taxi fares with the credit card of her victim husband, Yoon Mo (39 at the time of death).
On the 1st, the 15th Criminal Division of Incheon District Court (Presiding Judge Lee Gyu-hoon) held the 13th trial of Lee Eun-hae, who was detained and indicted on charges including murder, attempted murder, and attempted violation of the Special Act on the Prevention of Insurance Fraud, along with her accomplice and lover Jo Hyun-soo (30).
On this day, the prosecution called Yoon’s high school friend A, who was known to be the only person Yoon confided in about his difficult situation, as a witness and questioned him. A was known as the person who, at the 10th trial held on the 23rd, proposed to Yoon, "I will give you 20 million won if you break up with Lee Eun-hae." A temporarily returned from the United States for the witness examination.
A testified, "Lee Eun-hae charged 2 million won per month on taxi fares using Yoon’s credit card," and added, "Yoon struggled with the credit card payments." He continued, "Eventually, Yoon let Lee use his Avante car," and "That at least reduced the taxi expenses," he said.
During cross-examination, when the defendant’s lawyer asked, "Is it true that the entire 2 million won credit card bill was spent only on transportation costs?" A answered, "Yes."
A also stated, "Yoon had debts to his father-in-law (Lee Eun-hae’s father), but Yoon repaid those debts," and "Yoon called his father-in-law 'trash,' but I don’t know the reason."
Additionally, A testified, "Because Yoon was financially struggling and had no money to lend to Lee, he borrowed 10 million won in private loans from a 'madam' introduced through Lee’s acquaintance," and "The interest on the private loan was 1 million won per day."
The defendant’s lawyer questioned, "A principal of 10 million won with 1 million won daily interest is unreasonable," but A rebutted, "It’s unreasonable, but that’s what Yoon said."
Finally, the prosecution asked A, "Is it true that 10 days before the victim’s death, you told him to break up with Lee, offering 20 million won?"
A replied, "Yoon was very distressed, and since I knew his situation well, I said if he was thinking of breaking up with Lee, I would help him a little," and "The victim did not ask to borrow money first; I wanted to help so that his difficult situation would ease a bit if he broke up with Lee."
Meanwhile, Lee and Jo were indicted on charges of forcing Yoon, who could not swim, to dive into the water at 8:24 p.m. on June 30, 2019, at Yongsogye Valley in Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi Province, causing him to drown and die. The prosecution believes they committed the crime aiming for Yoon’s life insurance payout of 800 million won.
The next trial is scheduled to be held at 10 a.m. on the 22nd in the same courtroom.
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