One More Person Booked in 'Gangnam Abduction and Murder Case'... "Investigation Possible for Coin Company CEO"

Main Suspect Lee's Wife Questioned as Witness
"Lee Still Denies Charges"

The police have added one more person to the list of suspects in the kidnapping and murder case in the heart of Gangnam. Additionally, the police have left open the possibility of investigating the cryptocurrency industry, including the CEO of the P Coin issuing company.

Three suspects, including Lee Mo, accused of kidnapping, murdering a woman in her 40s, and disposing of her body in a residential area of Gangnam, appeared at the pre-trial detention hearing at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 3rd.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 5th, Baek Nam-ik, chief of the Suseo Police Station, stated at a press conference held at the Suseo Police Station, "So far, five suspects have been booked, with one additional person recently booked. However, since the investigation of accomplices is ongoing, we cannot disclose specific details about the newly booked individual." Until now, the police have booked Lee (35), Hwang (36), and Yeon (30) on charges of robbery-murder and corpse abandonment, as well as a man in his 20s, Mr. A, on charges of attempted robbery. This means one more person has become a subject of investigation. The number of people banned from leaving the country has also increased to five.

Moreover, investigations related to additional accomplices are underway. The police reported that they summoned the main suspect Lee’s wife for questioning as a witness. Lee’s wife works at a plastic surgery clinic located in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu, and is suspected of providing the syringe containing anesthetic components found in the vehicle used in the crime. The police conducted a four-hour search and seizure at the clinic the previous day. However, Lee’s side denies the charges, claiming that the syringe was not received from his wife.

The possibility of investigating P Coin is also open. Chief Baek said, "We are investigating all possibilities, including the CEO of the company issuing the coin." P Coin, which is listed on domestic cryptocurrency exchanges, has been embroiled in allegations of bribery and market making (MM) at the time of its listing. On the 7th of last month, the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office indicted broker Mr. Go on charges of breach of trust and mediation. Investigations revealed that from December 2019 to May 2021, Go delivered approximately 930 million KRW to the listing officers of the cryptocurrency exchange in exchange for listing 29 different cryptocurrencies.

However, testimonies among the suspects still conflict. Hwang and Yeon’s statements align, claiming that Lee provided the tools for the crime, but Lee denies the crime itself. Chief Baek explained, "Hwang and Yeon confessed to conspiring with Lee, and their statements are consistent. Lee acknowledges the facts but denies the charges."

The police stated that they are working to prove the suspects’ charges through forensic analysis of seized items and autopsy of the body.