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피터빈트

Police to close cold case serial murder probe before retrial to overturn conviction

By Kim Arin

Published : Nov. 5, 2019 - 16:08

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Police are wrapping up a probe into the cold case serial killings from over 30 years ago before commencement of a retrial over the wrongful conviction of a man in one of the 10 rapes and murders.

Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency said Tuesday it intends to close the probe into the serial murder cases in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, that stretched from 1986-1991 ahead of the initiation of retrial proceedings.

A 52-year-old man surnamed Yun, who was jailed nearly 20 years for the 1988 rape and murder of a 13-year-old girl, is seeking acquittal in the case after Lee Chun-jae, 56, confessed to the crime on Oct. 14.


Hwaseong serial murders investigation headquarters at Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency (Kim Arin/The Korea Herald) Hwaseong serial murders investigation headquarters at Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency (Kim Arin/The Korea Herald)

Police officially identified Lee on Sept. 18 as a key suspect in the serial killings following a DNA match that linked him to three of the murders. Lee admitted to committing the 10 rapes and murders known as the Hwaseong serial killings as well as some 30 additional unsolved crimes.

According to Yun’s lawyer Park Joon-young, Yun claims he was forced in 1989 to give a false confession due to police brutality.

Yun was interviewed by police for a fourth time at the provincial police agency’s special crime squad office Monday, where he underwent forensic hypnosis.

Police said they were not able to obtain his meaningful recollection of events from Monday’s session.

Park, quoting Yun, said he holds “100 percent faith in police,” adding that the police officials who “wronged him are from 30 years ago” and are “different from the police now.” 

Park said Yun’s defense team plans to apply for retrial next week.

By Kim Arin (arin@heraldcorp.com)

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