The Final Fate of a Korean Killer Who Even Prepared a Mask Before Committing Contract Murder

FBI Conducts Sting Operation After Obtaining 'Murder-for-Hire' Communications
Fabricated Virtual Person Requests Killing... Arrested After Undercover Surveillance

A Korean man who attempted to commit contract murder for $50,000 (approximately 65.6 million KRW) was caught in an FBI sting operation and arrested.

Recently, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced that it arrested suspect Hyunkook Korsiak (41) on the 8th (local time) in Tarrytown, New York State, after he attempted to carry out a contract murder plan in Midtown Manhattan, New York. The FBI reportedly obtained communications from the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) in which Korsiak expressed his willingness to "kill in exchange for money," and began the sting operation in August of last year.

Disguise mask of an elderly face prepared by the contract murder suspect (left) and the weapon used in the crime found in the suspect's car (right) [Photo by FBI website]

FBI agents posing as clients attempted contact with the suspect starting in January, meeting several times over two months in New York and Boston. Korsiak agreed to kill a fictional person created by the FBI agents. This person was set as a businessman staying at a Midtown Manhattan hotel.

During subsequent planning meetings, the suspect explained his murder plan using an AR-15 rifle and a 9mm handgun he owned. In another meeting, he informed the FBI agents of his specific plan to approach the victim walking on a Midtown Manhattan street by vehicle and shoot the victim from inside the car. He was also reported to have prepared a latex mask of an elderly person's face to avoid facial recognition technology and even obtained a police uniform for escape purposes.

The suspect was arrested on the 8th while traveling from his residence in Maine to Tarrytown, New York, to make final preparations for the contract murder plan. At the time of arrest, four firearms including an AR-15 rifle, bulletproof vests, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, magazines, and camouflage latex masks were found inside his vehicle.

Regarding this case, Michael J. Driscoll, FBI Deputy Director, stated, "The defendant traveled over 300 miles to take another person's life to satisfy his corrupt desires and planned criminal acts in the heart of Manhattan. The FBI will never tolerate acts that ruthlessly take human lives, and anyone attempting such acts will face the justice system's judgment."

Subsequently, the New York prosecutor's office reported that the suspect was charged with contract murder (carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment) and possession of firearms after a felony conviction (carrying a maximum sentence of 15 years imprisonment). Previously, Korsiak was sentenced to 52 months in prison in 2018 for firearm theft charges and is known to have served time between 2011 and 2013 as well.