Investigation Team Leader Arrested for Alleged Evidence Destruction in Jang Yungi Case

"Concerns Over Evidence Destruction and Risk of Flight"

The head of a police investigation team has been arrested on charges of destroying evidence during the investigation into the case of Jang Yungi, known as the "high school girl murderer."

Jang Yungi, who is accused of murder and attempted murder, is standing at the photo line before being transferred to the prosecution at Gwangju Western Police Station on the morning of May 14. Photo by Yonhap News

On July 8, Choi Youn-young, the presiding judge in charge of warrants at the Gwangju District Court, issued an arrest warrant for Inspector A, an officer at Gwangsan Police Station in Gwangju, citing concerns over destruction of evidence and risk of flight.

Inspector A is accused of failing to secure and allegedly disposing of cable ties—potential evidence—during the seizure and search of Jang Yungi's SUV, which was one of the items used in the crime.

According to reports, video footage from the scene shows Inspector A discovering a bundle of cable ties in the passenger seat's storage compartment but not collecting them as evidence. There are also suspicions that Inspector A instructed a team member to leave the cable ties inside the vehicle.

The special investigation team of the National Office of Investigation at the Korean National Police Agency, which urgently arrested Inspector A, also summoned Jang Yungi's father, an active-duty police officer, as a reference witness for questioning on the same day. The special investigation team is looking into whether Jang Yungi's father was informed about the progress of the case and the circumstances surrounding the disposal of key evidence, such as a sex doll.

The prosecution is also accelerating its investigation. The prosecution, which is probing allegations of information leaks and destruction of evidence during the police investigation, summoned two police officers from Gwangsan Police Station who were involved in the case at the time, questioning them as reference witnesses on the same day.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.