Chinese Man Always Wearing a Mask Arrested for Murdering Taxi Driver 29 Years Ago

A man in his 50s from China, suspected of committing a robbery and murder in China 29 years ago while living as an illegal resident in South Korea, has been caught and repatriated.

The Narcotics Investigation Unit of the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency announced today (August 4) that they arrested A, a 50-year-old Chinese national, on the spot for violations of the Immigration Control Act and other charges, and forcibly repatriated him to China.

A is suspected of committing a taxi robbery in March 1997 in Tianjin, China, along with two accomplices including B, and stabbing and killing the driver who resisted.

Although the perpetrators were not identified at the time, the investigation gained momentum when B, whose identity was revealed through a DNA analysis in September 2021, was arrested in China.

Chinese investigative authorities arrested another accomplice, confirmed that A was staying in South Korea, requested cooperation from South Korean police by issuing an Interpol Red Notice, and more.

As major overseas crimes, such as the criminal compound incidents in Cambodia, continued to occur, the police strengthened their international cooperation capabilities, assigning this case to the International Cooperation Division within the Narcotics Investigation Unit and launching an investigation in March.


Following inquiries into the areas where A used to live, police staked out his residence near Mokpo, Jeollanam-do, and arrested him on July 2.

Since A was an illegal resident, police first arrested him on charges of violating the Immigration Control Act, placed him under protective custody, and recently handed him over to Chinese investigative authorities at Incheon International Airport.

Investigations revealed that after entering the country in 2017, A traveled back and forth between South Korea and China, but continued to stay in the country and live on the run after B and others were arrested, even though his period of stay had expired.

Police stated that A, who worked as a day laborer in South Korea, did not use mobile phones or bank accounts under his own name to avoid being tracked, and usually wore a mask when going about.

A police official said, "The Ministry of Public Security of China has expressed its gratitude regarding A's arrest," adding, "We hope this incident will serve as an opportunity to expand investigative cooperation on overseas fugitives between South Korea and China."

(Photo provided by Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.