One of the suspects accused of torturing and killing a Korean university student in Cambodia is now under suspicion of having participated in the "drug-laced drink incident" that occurred in Seoul's Gangnam private education district in 2023.
Three Chinese nationals accused of murdering a Korean university student, who have been indicted by the Cambodian prosecution. Photo by Yonhap News Agency
On October 12, Yonhap News Agency reported that "Cheonma," a vigilante group that has been tracking crimes targeting Koreans in Cambodia, identified a Chinese national surnamed Li (age 34) as the main perpetrator of the murder of Park, a 22-year-old Korean university student, in the Bokor Mountain area of Kampot Province, Cambodia, in August.
Cheonma claimed that Li has a previous drug conviction and served as the main distributor in the "drug-laced drink incident" that took place in the Daechi-dong private education district of Gangnam, Seoul, in 2023. The group also stated that Li forced Park to take drugs and filmed the torture on video.
Park, a university student from Yecheon, North Gyeongsang Province, departed for Cambodia in July, stating he would attend an overseas expo. He went missing locally and was found dead near Bokor Mountain in Kampot Province on August 8, 22 days after his departure. The cause of death was determined to be "cardiac arrest due to torture and extreme pain."
The Cambodian prosecution, on October 10 local time, indicted three Chinese nationals on charges including murder and fraud, but Li is reportedly still at large.
Cheonma stated that it provided the collected evidence and tips to the Korean police. In response, an official from the North Gyeongsang Provincial Police Agency said, "We received the tip and contacted the operator (Cheonma) to listen to information related to the video for verification," but clarified, "The police have no knowledge of, nor have we ever mentioned, any connection to the Daechi-dong drug case."
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