A 31-year-old Chinese university lecturer in South Korea, identified as Zheng Changsheng in the Korea JoongAng Daily and as Jeong in Asianews.network, was referred to prosecutors while in custody on Sept. 4 on suspicion of murdering a 25-year-old Chinese graduate student. According to police reports, the suspect allegedly strangled the victim at his studio apartment in Hayang-eup, Gyeongsan, on Aug. 20 after she threatened to expose their romantic relationship to the university, fearing he would lose his job.
Police Investigation and Arrest Details
Gyeongsan Police Station investigators stated that the suspect admitted to key parts of the allegations, including the killing in the early hours of Aug. 20. Police apprehended him around 7:29 p.m. on a Tuesday on a street in Hayang-eup after discovering the victim’s body inside his home.
Investigators stated that forensic evidence and a polygraph test supported the suspect’s claim that the pair had been romantically involved. During questioning, his responses showed no signs of deception regarding the relationship. The victim, a Chinese national who had taken classes taught by the suspect, had reportedly found a job in China and returned to South Korea solely to collect a certificate related to the completion of her studies, according to Yonhap.
Disposal of Remains and Deception Tactics
Police accuse the lecturer of dismembering the victim’s body after the strangulation and dumping the remains across five distinct areas, including Gyeongsan, Gyeongju, Sangju, Daegu, and Gunpo. Trash disposal sites, wooded areas, and riverbanks were utilized for the disposal, while some remains were kept inside his apartment, as reported by the Korea JoongAng Daily. Law enforcement searched 14 locations, reviewed CCTV and dashcam footage from 16 areas, and seized 214 items alongside 84 pieces of forensic evidence.
To obstruct the police investigation, the suspect allegedly filed a false missing-person report while pretending to be the victim’s boyfriend. CCTV footage cited by Yonhap showed him leaving his home at approximately 10:30 p.m. on Aug. 20 dressed in women’s clothing and carrying the victim’s mobile phone and suitcase to Dongdaegu Station to create a false trail indicating she had traveled there.
Psychopathy Assessment and Additional Inquiries
Following an initial refusal, the suspect underwent a Psychopathy Checklist-Revised assessment. Police reported that he scored below 25 out of 40, which is the threshold commonly used in South Korea to classify an individual as a psychopath. Authorities are continuing to search for unrecovered portions of the victim’s remains.
Furthermore, investigators are examining separate allegations regarding the lecturer’s conduct toward other female students. According to The Star, citing The Korea Herald, police are looking into claims that the suspect threatened female students by telling them they needed to remain in his good graces in order to graduate.
Did You Know?
In South Korea, the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) utilizes a standard threshold score of 25 out of 40 to officially classify an individual as a psychopath, differing from the standard threshold of 30 commonly applied in North America.
Frequently Asked Questions
What charges does the suspect face?
According to the Korea JoongAng Daily, the suspect was referred to prosecutors on suspicion of murder, damaging, abandoning and concealing a corpse, and obstructing police duties through deception.
How was the suspect linked to the crime?
Police became suspicious during questioning and subsequently discovered the victim’s body inside the suspect’s studio apartment in Hayang-eup, leading to his apprehension.
What was the motive behind the killing?
Investigators stated that the suspect claimed he killed the victim because he feared losing his job as a lecturer after she threatened to inform the university of their romantic relationship during an argument.
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