The Jeju Seogwipo police said they found a photo of a man withdrawing 2 million won ($1,730) from an ATM with the victim’s debit card, around the end of last year when the victim went missing.

The man in the photo wore a white cap with a dark jumper. His face was covered with a scarve. Given the low resolution of the picture, the police said it will take some time to identify the man.

The photo was discovered in the collaborative search involving the victim’s financial records with a bank that has its headquarters in China.

The 22-year-old victim had an account with that bank.

She had worked illegally at a bar in Jejudo Island after overstaying her tourist visa. She disappeared in December without finishing her first month of work and was later discovered dead at a field near Seogwipo on April 13. She had multiple stab wounds that injured vital arteries in her neck and chest. The National Forensic Service determined there had been no sexual assault.

The police had arrested a Korean man as a suspect in April but had later released him due to lack of motive and evidence.

A total of 29 people who were close with the victim -- both Koreans and foreigners -- were banned from leaving the country during the investigation of the case.

The victim’s family, who were contacted through the Chinese embassy, said that their daughter had left home as soon as she had reached legal age. According to her family, she had traveled to Jejudo Island in a bid to solve her financial difficulties.

The family will arrive in Jejudo Island next week with financial aid from the Korean police.

By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)