Retired police officer in South Korea arrested for allegedly killing wife
South Korean police arrested a retired officer on Tuesday (25 Aug) on suspicion of killing his estranged wife at her home on Jeju Island.
The woman, who was in her 50s, was found dead at her residence in Seogwipo on Monday evening (24 Aug) after officers returned for a second welfare check.
His family had reported him missing in Seoul about 30 hours earlier, after he allegedly left behind a note suggesting that he might take his own life.
The case has since drawn criticism over the police response, particularly after investigators discovered that the man had been barred by a court order from approaching his wife’s home amid a domestic violence-related dispute.
Ex-cop’s family reported him missing
According to The Chosun Daily, the suspect’s family reported him missing to Jungnang Police Station at around 2pm on Sunday (23 Aug).
Source: Google Maps, for illustration purposes only
Before leaving his home, the man in his 50s had reportedly left behind a note suggesting that he might take his own life.
Police later traced his movements to a billiards hall in Guri, Gyeonggi Province, which he was known to frequent.
About five hours after receiving the missing-person report, Seoul police sought assistance from Guri Police Station in locating him.
At that stage, however, officers had not considered the possibility that he might pose a threat to his wife, who was also in her 50s and living separately from him in Seogwipo.
During the investigation, police subsequently learnt that the couple had been in conflict over domestic violence issues.
The suspect was also subject to a court order barring him from approaching his wife’s Seogwipo residence from March this year until August 2027.
Police find wife dead during second visit to home
After learning more about the couple’s circumstances, Guri Police Station asked Seogwipo Police Station on Monday morning to check on the woman’s safety.
Source: Google Maps, for illustration purposes only
Officers arrived at her home at around 8.22am, where they rang the doorbell and sounded a siren. When there was no response, they left the scene.
It was not until around 7pm, roughly 11 hours later, that police returned to the residence for a second check.
According to The Korea Herald, officers noticed broken windows before entering the home. They then found the woman collapsed and bleeding inside, and she had already died.
By that point, about 30 hours had passed since the suspect was first reported missing.
The discovery prompted police to treat the case as a serious criminal investigation and launch a search for the former officer. He was arrested in Guri at around 12.30am on Tuesday.
Court order had barred suspect from approaching wife
The suspect and his wife had been living apart while going through divorce proceedings, with the man residing in Seoul.
Given the existing court order and the couple’s reported domestic violence-related conflict, questions have since been raised over whether police should have recognised the potential danger to the victim sooner.
Police believe conflict that had built up during the couple’s divorce proceedings may have led to the alleged killing.
The suspect, who reportedly has not denied the allegation, is expected to be transferred to Jeju for further questioning.
Also read: 4 missing people found dead on Jeju Island in 3 days, officer accused of falsely closing cases
4 missing people found dead on Jeju Island in 3 days, officer accused of falsely closing cases
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Featured image adapted from Google Maps, for illustration purposes only.
