Man identified as 26-year-old Kim Sung-woo
South Korean police on Monday disclosed the identity of a man accused of killing his mother-in-law and kidnapping his wife in Songpa-gu, southeastern Seoul.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency identified the suspect as Kim Sung-woo, 26, publishing his name, age and photographs on its website. The information will remain publicly available through Nov. 17.
The decision followed a review committee meeting earlier in the day, during which members determined that the case met the legal criteria for disclosing a suspect's identity.
The committee cited the brutality of the alleged crime, the seriousness of the harm caused, the public's right to know and the need to prevent further offenses as grounds for the disclosure.
Kim is accused of killing his mother-in-law and kidnapping his wife in Munjeong-dong, Songpa-gu, in the early hours of Oct. 11 before fleeing to a wooded hillside in Gangwon Province.
Police arrested him on a hillside later that afternoon on charges including the murder of a family member. A court issued an arrest warrant on Oct. 13, allowing authorities to keep him in custody.
His mother-in-law, who was found in cardiac arrest at the scene, was rushed to a hospital but later died.
The case has raised concerns over gaps in protection for domestic violence victims, as Kim's wife had previously reported abuse to police. Temporary protective measures, including a restraining order, had been imposed, but the alleged crime occurred after they expired and while a renewal request was being processed.
With Kim's detention period nearing its end, police plan to refer him to the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office on Tuesday morning on charges including murder of a family member and aggravated confinement.
cjh@heraldcorp.com
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