A South Korean man has admitted to murdering his girlfriend after her remains were found during construction work, 16 years after she was first reported missing. The Geoje Police and Gyenongnam Provincial Police Agency revealed that the now 58-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of killing his girlfriend in 2008. The victim, in her 30s, was allegedly struck fatally with a blunt object during an argument on Oct. 10 at their residence in Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province. The man then concealed her body in a suitcase and buried it under layers of brick and cement on his balcony, accessible only from one of his bedrooms. The remains were uncovered during demolition works by the landlord to prevent water leaks.
Background
The suspect continued to live in the same unit until 2016, despite the crime. No other tenants occupied the unit after him, as the landlord used it as a storage area. The man was arrested at his new residence in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, and confessed to the killing when questioned. He was also found to be under the influence of drugs at the time of his arrest and will face additional charges.
Deceased identified
The deceased, partially preserved by the suitcase, was identified through fingerprint analysis. Investigations revealed that the victim had minimal contact with her family, leading to a missing person’s report being filed only three years after her death in 2011. According to the BBC, the victim’s parents had searched for their estranged daughter in the city but were misled into believing that the couple had split and she had left the city. Investigations are ongoing.
Related stories
This case is reminiscent of other recent gruesome discoveries in South Korea. In April 2024, a man was arrested for killing 76 cats, and in September 2024, another man was charged with murder at Maxwell Food Centre. These incidents highlight a disturbing trend of violent crimes being uncovered years after they were committed, raising concerns about the effectiveness of missing persons investigations and the need for more stringent measures to prevent such tragedies.
