Suspicion of Frequent Overseas Travel Despite Fraud Conviction
Police Consider Possibility of Involvement in Voice Phishing and Others
The police investigating the hit-and-run fatal accident that occurred in Gwangju on the 24th are expanding their investigation to include the fleeing driver and the accomplices who aided his escape.
On the 30th, the Gwangju Western Police Station held a briefing regarding the "arrest of the Maserati driver involved in the hit-and-run fatal accident," explaining the investigation process so far and future investigation plans. The accident occurred on the morning of the 24th on a road in Hwajeong-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju, when a Maserati driven by Kim (33) collided with a motorcycle. Kim fled the scene without providing aid, resulting in the motorcycle driver being seriously injured and a female passenger in her 20s dying.
The police urgently arrested and detained Kim, who fled after causing the fatal accident, in Seoul. Kim did not attend the pre-trial detention hearing held on the 28th. Oh (34), who helped Kim escape, was also arrested and detained, while two other accomplices who provided transportation assistance were booked without detention.
Based on the investigation, they were charged with hit-and-run causing death and aiding a criminal under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes.
Cho Young-chul, Head of the Traffic Division, speaking at a related briefing held by the Gwangju Seobu Police Station on the 30th [Image source=Yonhap News]
The police determined that they are not members of organized crime groups since they were not on any management lists, but they are investigating the possibility of involvement in other crimes such as voice phishing and money laundering, separate from the hit-and-run fatal accident case.
Through identity checks, it was confirmed that they had been booked multiple times for fraud and other charges. Kim was found to have used an alias to conceal his identity after his resident registration was canceled in the past.
Additionally, immigration records show that from 2014 until recently, they traveled multiple times to Thailand and Cambodia. The police plan to investigate the reasons for their overseas stays ranging from at least three months to as long as nine months, despite their claims of being unemployed. Kim stayed in Thailand for nine months and entered Korea on the 19th, three days before the accident.
After the accident, Kim fled through Daejeon, Incheon, and Seoul, and after being caught by the police, he hired a lawyer from a Seoul law firm and submitted a letter of apology.
During his escape, Kim attempted to flee overseas by boarding a flight to Thailand but canceled two tickets, likely due to concerns that he was already banned from leaving the country.
A friend who lent Kim the Maserati was found to have no connection with the Maserati's owning corporation and was not directly related to the accident, but records show that this friend departed for Thailand late on the afternoon of the accident day.
A police official stated, "We will thoroughly investigate the raised suspicions. If any criminal charges are found related to Kim and his accomplices traveling between Thailand, we will request cooperation from Thai authorities or Interpol."
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