South Korean Man Arrested for Murdering Girlfriend 16 Years Ago and Hiding Body Under Cement

A shocking case of murder and concealment has come to light in South Korea, where a man in his 50s has been arrested for killing his girlfriend 16 years ago and entombing her body on his balcony under a layer of cement. The gruesome discovery was made last month, after a worker searching for water leaks stumbled upon a large travel bag containing the woman’s body.

According to police, the man was charged with murdering the woman in October 2008 during an argument. He struck her with a blunt object and then placed her body in the travel bag, hiding it on his balcony by stacking bricks and pouring on a 10-centimetre layer of cement. The woman’s family did not report her missing until three years later, as she was not in contact with them.

During a 2011 missing person inquiry, the man told police that he and the woman had “broken up” and the case remained unsolved due to a lack of evidence. However, the police official told reporters that the body was not discovered earlier because it had been fitted into the small balcony space, and the room was “virtually empty since 2016”. That year, the perpetrator was arrested for drug use, and the landlord said the property was used for storage space.

The body was found in a surprisingly well-preserved state, with police able to identify her using fingerprints. The man was brought in for questioning and eventually confessed to the murder. A police official from Gyeongnam Provincial Police told AFP that the investigation and questioning is nearly over, and the man will be “sent to prosecution soon”.

This disturbing case highlights the complexities of human behavior and the devastating consequences of violent acts. As the investigation unfolds, it is essential to provide support to the victim’s family and to hold the perpetrator accountable for his actions.