Exclusive: Police Facilitated Phone Call Between Murder Suspect Jang Yoon-gi and His Father

[Anchor]

It has been confirmed that the investigation team allowed Jang Yoon-gi, a suspect in the murder of a high school girl in Gwangju, to speak with his father—who is a police officer—even after he was taken into custody. During this call, the father, identified as Inspector Jang, asked if his son had discarded his mobile phone after the crime, raising concerns that the investigation team may have been involved in the destruction of evidence.

Reported by Kim Deok-hyeon.

[Reporter]

Around 12:10 a.m. on May 5, Jang Yoon-gi, who murdered the late Lee Chae-won, threw his mobile phone into a nearby river immediately after the crime.

Jang was arrested by police on the morning of the crime and was formally detained two days later. The day after his detention, his father, Inspector Jang, visited his son's studio apartment, dismantled two life-sized dolls, and disposed of them in various locations across Gwangju.

However, an SBS investigation has confirmed that a direct phone call took place between Jang Yoon-gi and his father before the inspector disposed of key evidence, including the dolls.

It is reported that during the call, Inspector Jang asked his son if it was true that he had thrown his mobile phone into the river immediately after the crime.

At the time, Jang Yoon-gi was in custody and was not permitted to make direct calls to outsiders. It has been confirmed that it was a police officer from the Gwangju Gwangsan Police Station investigation team, who was in charge of the case, who facilitated the call between the suspect and his father.

It was also revealed that Inspector Jang had multiple phone conversations with several members of the Gwangsan Police Station investigation team while the investigation into his son was ongoing.

This means that an active-duty police officer, who is known to have experience working in investigative departments, was in direct communication with the officers handling his son's case.

In response to inquiries from SBS regarding the matter, the police stated, "Jang Yoon-gi was not actively cooperating with the investigation, so we had his father persuade him," adding, "This was not a case of providing special favors to the suspect."

Video by Shin Se-eun | Graphics by Kim Han-gil
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.