'Eunpyeong Ex-Partner Killing': Man in His 60s Had Four Prior 112 Calls

Police Sought a Detention Warrant in July, but Prosecutors Declined to Seek One
Victim Had Injuries Consistent with Blunt-Force Trauma; Autopsy Planned

A man in his 60s suspected of killing his former partner at his home in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, had previously been classified as a Grade A target for monitoring in cases involving violence between former partners, it has been confirmed. Before the killing, the victim reported him to police four times and received safety measures as needed, including a smart watch and a restraining order, but was unable to escape the tragedy.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on the 5th, a total of four emergency calls related to A, a man in his 60s who was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder that morning, were received by the Eunpyeong, Namdaemun and Mapo police stations in Seoul between September 2024 and July this year.

A view of Seoul Eunpyeong Police Station. Yonhap News

A is suspected of killing a woman in her 70s, with whom he had previously been in a relationship, at his home in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul.

After receiving a report of a missing woman in her 70s at around 6:40 a.m. that day, police found the victim dead inside A's home and arrested A at the scene. A was also found unconscious at the scene and taken to a hospital. Police have not yet questioned the suspect.

Reports stating that "a man is following me" were received by the Eunpyeong Police Station in September 2024 and June this year. Police responded to both incidents and, after determining that they involved simple arguments, separated the two at the scene.

In late June, the Namdaemun Police Station in Seoul received a report that "a man is waiting near my workplace." Police provided the victim with a smart watch and applied for emergency protective measures and an interim measure banning A from approaching her, then referred him to prosecutors without detention. Police also sought an order for electronic monitoring, but the court rejected the request.

In July, the Mapo Police Station in Seoul received a report. Police urgently arrested A and sought a detention warrant, but prosecutors did not request one, citing his health. Taking into account that A's health was very poor and that he had undergone cancer surgery not long before, prosecutors directed that he be investigated without detention.

In September, police referred A to prosecutors without detention on suspicion of violating the Act on the Punishment of Stalking Crimes, assault and theft.

However, under the Act on the Punishment of Stalking Crimes, the court ordered that A be held in a detention center and fitted with an electronic location-tracking device. A was held in a detention center from July 23 to August 22 and, according to police, wore the tracking device from his release until the 22nd of last month.

The incident occurred about two weeks after the electronic location-tracking measure ended.

A police investigation found injuries to the victim believed to have been caused by a blunt object. Police plan to conduct an autopsy tomorrow (November 6) to determine the exact cause of death.

Police have been unable to question A in person because he is currently receiving treatment at a hospital. Through questioning the suspect and conducting digital forensics, police plan to determine why the victim visited A's home and establish the specific circumstances of the crime.

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