An ex-convict accused of killing two women before and after cutting off his location-tracking device appeared in public on Tuesday for the first time after his identity was made public last week.

Kang Yoon-seong was escorted out of a police station where he was under police arrest before being taken to the prosecution.

In a brief appearance before media, Kang said, "I apologize to the victims and their families."

He also said he murdered them "for money, not sexual reasons," disputing what he claimed to be false reporting by some media outlets.

Songpa Police Station sent the 56-year-old man to the Seoul Dongbu District Prosecutors Office on six charges, including murder, fraud and violation of the law on electronic monitoring devices.

Last week, police arrested him on suspicion of killing two women before and after he cut off his ankle bracelet and fled. 

The man with 14 previous criminal convictions walked into a police station in eastern Seoul on Aug. 29 and confessed to murdering the two women he had known. (Yonhap)