Disclosure of Personal Information of 31-Year-Old Yang Jeong-ryeol in 'Gimcheon Officetel Murder' with Fingerprints from Corpse for Loan

Daegu District Prosecutors' Office Publishes Personal Information of Yang Jeong-ryeol

The personal information of Yang Jeong-ryeol (31), a robber and murderer who killed a same-age male stranger and even took out a loan using the victim's fingerprints, was disclosed on the 12th.

The Kimcheon Branch of Daegu District Prosecutors' Office decided to publicly disclose Yang Jeong-ryeol's name, age, and photo on its website for 30 days starting from the 12th. According to the Act on the Disclosure of Personal Information of Suspects in Specific Serious Crimes, the name and age can be disclosed when the crime method is brutal, significant damage has occurred, and there is sufficient evidence to believe the suspect committed the crime. Furthermore, personal information disclosure is only allowed when necessary for the public interest, such as guaranteeing the public's right to know, preventing recidivism, and crime prevention. Yang Jeong-ryeol is the first suspect whose personal information was disclosed by the Daegu District Prosecutors' Office during the investigation stage.

Suspect Yang Jeong-ryeol in the 'Gimcheon Officetel Murder Case.' Photo by Daegu District Prosecutors' Office

The photo of Yang Jeong-ryeol disclosed that day was a mugshot taken on the 5th while he was in custody, for the purpose of recording the criminal's appearance, the prosecution explained. A prosecution official stated, "The suspect declared no objection to the decision to disclose personal information this morning," adding, "Therefore, no five-day grace period for disclosure was given."

Yang Jeong-ryeol was sent to the prosecution in custody on the 28th of last month on charges of robbery and murder for killing victim A (31), whom he did not know, at an officetel in Kimcheon City, Gyeongbuk Province, and taking out a loan of 60 million won using the victim's fingerprints. It was revealed that he thoroughly prepared for the crime by preparing a weapon in advance and attempting to dispose of the body after the crime.

In the initial police investigation, Yang Jeong-ryeol claimed that "during a physical struggle with the victim, the victim bit him, and he committed the crime impulsively with a weapon found inside the victim's house," but later corrected this during the investigation process, stating that he had prepared the weapon himself.