Police in the southeastern city of Gyeongsan are questioning a Chinese man in his 30s on suspicion of murdering a female graduate student, also from China, according to reports from The Korea Times and Yonhap News Agency.
The 25-year-old victim, a local university student, was found dead at the suspect's residence on Tuesday, five days after all communication with her had ceased and four days after she was reported missing by the man, police said.
The suspect, surnamed Jeong, was apprehended Tuesday on a street in the city and detained at the police station the same day. On Thursday, the Daegu District Court issued an arrest warrant for Jeong, citing concerns he may flee, according to Yonhap. He appeared at the court earlier that day for his formal arrest warrant hearing.
Suspect admits to murder and disposal of remains
During police questioning, Jeong admitted to murdering the victim and abandoning parts of her mutilated body in Gyeongsan and in northwestern Gyeonggi Province, about 240 kilometers away, the Gyeongsan Police Station said. Police investigators have been dispatched to search for the victim's remains at the site identified by Jeong.
The admission was reported by Yonhap, which also noted that police are considering administering a psychopathy evaluation on Jeong given the brutal nature of the crime.
CCTV evidence and alleged attempts to mislead investigators
According to police, CCTV footage showed Jeong entering his residence with the victim at around 2 p.m. Thursday. He was later seen leaving the premises dressed as a woman and wearing a hat, heading to Dongdaegu Station and changing clothes at a nearby restroom before returning home. Police said Jeong was found to have turned off the victim's phone at one point. They suspect he tried to throw investigators off course and plan to charge him with obstruction of official duties. This detail was reported by Yonhap.
Investigation and next steps
Police plan to conduct an autopsy on the body to determine the exact cause and time of death, and afterward transfer the body to the victim's family. A relative currently staying in South Korea has been notified of the student's death, police said.
The suspect and the victim were acquaintances, those close to the victim have said, as reported by both The Korea Times and Yonhap.
The case has drawn attention due to the severity of the allegations and the suspect's confession to disposing of remains across a wide geographical area.