Decision on Disclosure of Suspect's Identity in 'Suncheon Teenager Murder' to Be Made on 30th

Jeonnam Police Agency to Hold Personal Information Disclosure Committee Meeting on the 30th

A sexagenarian man who murdered a teenager with a weapon while walking in Suncheon, Jeollanam-do, will have a personal information disclosure committee held regarding his identity.

An incident occurred in Suncheon, Jeollanam-do, where a high school girl was stabbed to death with a weapon, and the scene of the incident was captured on closed-circuit television (CCTV).
[Image source=YouTube JTBS news capture]

On the 29th, the Jeollanam-do Police Agency announced that on the 30th in the afternoon, they will hold a personal information disclosure committee to deliberate whether to disclose the personal information of Mr. A (30), who is detained on suspicion of murder. According to the "Act on the Disclosure of Personal Information of Suspects of Certain Serious Crimes," personal information of suspects can be disclosed if conditions such as ▲the cruelty of the method ▲serious damage ▲sufficient evidence to believe a crime was committed ▲the public's right to know, and ▲public interest are met. If disclosure is decided, Mr. A’s personal information (face, name, age) will be posted on the Jeollanam-do Police Agency website.

Earlier, Mr. A is suspected of stabbing and killing Ms. B (18) with a weapon around 12:44 a.m. on the 26th in the streets of Jorye-dong, Suncheon. Mr. A, who operated a delivery restaurant, took a weapon from his store and went outside on the day of the incident. It was confirmed that he chased Ms. B, who was passing nearby, for about 800 meters before committing the crime. After the crime, Mr. A fled but wandered the streets in a drunken state and even got into an argument with a passerby. About 2 hours and 20 minutes after the incident, around 3 a.m., he was caught by police who responded to a report.

Mr. A targeted Ms. B, whom he did not know personally. However, he has not provided an exact motive or other details during the police investigation. When attending the pre-trial detention hearing at the Suncheon branch of the Gwangju District Court the day before, he said, "I drank about four bottles of soju at the time of the incident, so I don't remember." The police are investigating the exact circumstances of the case.

There is growing social outrage as a teenager was brutally murdered in the heart of the city. After the incident became known, Mr. A’s name, photo, and other personal information quickly spread online. Not only were critical comments left on Mr. A’s social media accounts, but the review boards of the restaurant he is known to operate were also flooded with posts calling him a "murderer," demanding "close the store and atone with death," and saying "live the rest of your life in pain," along with rating attacks. Voices urging the police to disclose his personal information also increased.

The Suncheon city government has set up a memorial space for Ms. B at the crime scene. At the incense altar with a tent installed, chrysanthemums and incense stands were placed so that citizens could pay their respects.