KOR
In the upcoming episode of SBS's 'Unanswered Questions' airing this Saturday, June 27, under the subtitle "Between Two Graves - The Seocho Suitcase Murder Case," the show will delve into the double life of this man and the mysterious circumstances surrounding the tragic death.
Lee, a 60-year-old man, had earned deep trust in his community by constantly distributing daily necessities like rice and coal briquettes to neighbors in need, and leading volunteer activities for children. Lee, who was also a wealthy asset owner with a fortune in the 10 billion won range, suddenly went out of contact after March 30, leading his acquaintances to file a missing person report with the police.
However, the news that broke a few days later regarding Lee was shocking. He had not gone missing; instead, he was arrested red-handed in a drainage ditch on a hill in Eumseong County, North Chungcheong Province, on charges of murder and abandonment of a corpse. He was caught attempting to dispose of the body of a woman in her 50s, whom he had killed in Seocho-gu, Seoul, by stuffing her into a large blue suitcase.
The victim of this tragic crime was none other than his ex-wife. The two had been married for 28 years before divorcing just three months prior to the incident. Lee, the perpetrator, claims that on the day of the crime, they got into an argument over their asset division lawsuit. He alleges that after his ex-wife slapped him, sending his glasses flying, he lost his temper and accidentally strangled her to death in the heat of the moment.
After the murder, Lee placed the body in a suitcase, loaded it into his car, and drove a total of 243 kilometers, passing through Yeongwol County in Gangwon Province to Eumseong County in North Chungcheong Province. He claimed that, consumed by guilt over killing his ex-wife, he intended to take his own life and visited two locations where his parents' graves were located to say his final goodbyes.
In response, the victim's son expressed his deep resentment, saying, "My mother is the victim, and the perpetrator is my father. He is a devil in human disguise."
As the investigation continued, more questions began to surface. Lee was an incredibly wealthy man, inheriting assets from his parents that generated a monthly rental income of 10 million won alone. However, until the asset division lawsuit began, neither his ex-wife nor his two sons had any idea of the exact scale of his wealth. Why did Lee hide his fortune so thoroughly from his own family?
Even more chilling was the final phone call the son remembered having with Lee. According to the son's testimony, Lee left a cryptic message: "During your grandfather's time, there was similar suspicion, but it was quietly swept under the rug. It will pass quietly this time, too." What could this "suspicion surrounding the grandfather's death" mean, coming from a father who had always been a figure of terror and fear within the household?
The brutal reality hidden behind Lee's mask as the "Angel of Service" will be revealed on 'Unanswered Questions', airing this Saturday, June 27, at 11:10 PM.
Reporter Kang Sun-ae sakang@sbs.co.kr
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.