By Kang Hyun-kyung
A South Korean woman was cleared of charges of being involved in the murder of a Dutch backpacker in Roatan, Honduras in August 2008, an official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said Thursday.
The case was closed more than two years after Han Ji-soo, 27, was arrested by police in Egypt in 2008 for her alleged role in the murder.
Han was in Honduras when the Dutch victim was found dead.
“With regard to the case, a Honduras court ruled yesterday that evidence submitted by prosecutors was insufficient to support that Han was either directly or indirectly involved in the death of the Dutch backpacker,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
The court reportedly concluded that Han’s testimony was consistent and denied the prosecution’s report, which read that the Dutch victim was murdered.
The high court’s decision came about a month after the local court in Roatan ruled Han was innocent.
The prosecution is entitled to file an appeal against the ruling to the Supreme Court within 20 days but the foreign ministry official said the chances of doing so were slim.
A source said Han plans to return to Korea later this month.