Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
Photo of 'Hwaseong serial killer' revealed
The high school graduation photo of Lee Chun-jae, left, and a facial composite of the Hwaseong serial killer / Korea Times
By Jung Min-ho
By Jung Min-ho
A photo of the prime suspect in one of Korea's most notorious serial murder cases has been revealed.
The Hankook Ilbo, sister paper of The Korea Times, obtained the high school graduation photo of Lee Chun-jae, 56, and published it in Thursday's issue.
The young Lee looks similar to a facial composite of the killer, which was made about three decades ago based on witness accounts.
Between September 1986 and April 1991, 10 women, including teenagers and a 71-year-old, were sexually assaulted and killed in a similar way at Hwaseong, a city south of Seoul, which prompted a nationwide investigation.
The case, which had remained unsolved for years, inspired film director Bong Joon-ho's 2003 box office hit, “Memories of Murder.”
But last week, police made a surprise announcement that they had identified Lee as a prime suspect in at least three of the killings after using the latest forensic techniques to retrieve DNA.
Lee, who is serving a life sentence for raping and killing his sister-in-law in 1994, denies involvement in the Hwaseong cases.
Despite the DNA evidence, Lee will not be prosecuted for first-degree murders because the country's statute of limitations for his alleged crimes has expired.
Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency Superintendent General Ban Ki-soo said police will try their best to uncover the truth regardless.