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[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] The suspect in the murder of the gosiwon building owner in Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, has had the charge changed to robbery-murder.
The Gwanak Police Station in Seoul announced on the 28th that the charge against the male suspect in his 30s, Mr. A, was changed from murder to robbery-murder. Under criminal law, the penalty for robbery-murder is death or life imprisonment, which is more severe than the murder charge that carries a sentence of five years or more.
The man is suspected of killing the building owner (74) of the gosiwon where he lived on the morning of the 27th and stealing valuables before fleeing. The victim was found dead with his hands tied in the basement floor of a four-story gosiwon in Sillim-dong at around 12:48 PM.
The police tracked the suspect’s movements by reviewing closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage and arrested him urgently at a sauna in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, around 10 PM on the same day.
The National Forensic Service conducted an autopsy on the victim on the morning of the 28th and gave a preliminary verbal opinion that the cause of death was asphyxiation due to neck compression (strangulation).
A police official stated, "Details such as the motive for the crime and the value of the stolen items are under investigation," and added, "We plan to apply for an arrest warrant."
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