(Herald DB)
(Herald DB)

A man in his 30s was arrested Monday on charges of vandalizing a residence and defaming its occupant, in what authorities described as another case of"revenge for hire."

The Anyang branch of the Suwon District Court issued an arrest warrant for the suspect, saying there was a risk that he would seek to flee or destroy evidence. The court denied a warrant for one accomplice, while prosecutors did not seek a warrant for a third suspect.

The three suspects allegedly targeted an apartment entrance in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, at around 1:20 a.m. last Wednesday. They are accused of smearing human feces and spraying paint across the building, and scattering flyers containing defamatory messages about the victim.

Police apprehended the suspects in Incheon on Saturday.

According to investigators, the main suspect said he had been hired by an unidentified individual through the messaging platform Telegram. He said he responded to an advertisement reading “For those who need cash quick” and later recruited two acquaintances to carry out the act.

Police said the investigation is ongoing. The suspects could face charges including property damage and defamation.

South Korea has seen a recent rash of paid revenge cases, in which individuals commission others to harass or vandalize people with whom they have personal disputes.

Under Korean law, those who solicit them are also subject to criminal liability.


minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com