Chinese Man in His 50s Arrested and Extradited After 29 Years for Robbery-Homicide in China

A Chinese national in his 50s, suspected of committing a robbery-homicide in China 29 years ago, has been caught and repatriated while living illegally in South Korea.

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

A is suspected of committing a taxi robbery in March 1997 in Tianjin, China, alongside two accomplices including B, and stabbing the resisting driver to death.

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

Chinese investigative authorities apprehended another accomplice, confirmed that A was staying in South Korea, issued an Interpol Red Notice, and requested cooperation from the South Korean police.

Amid a series of major overseas crimes such as the Cambodia crime compound cases, the police, having strengthened their international cooperation capabilities, assigned this case to the International Cooperation Division within the Narcotics Investigation Unit and launched an investigation in March.

Through inquiries regarding areas where A had previously resided, police staked out his residence near Mokpo, Jeollanam-do, and arrested him on July 2 of last month.

Given that A was an illegal resident, the police initially arrested him for 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 despite the expiration of his stay after B and others were arrested.

Working odd jobs and other temporary labor in South Korea, A avoided using mobile phones or bank accounts under his own name to guard against being tracked, and routinely wore a mask while moving about, police stated.

A police official said, "The Ministry of Public Security of China has expressed its gratitude for the arrest of A," adding, "We hope this incident serves as an opportunity to expand investigative cooperation on overseas fugitives between South Korea and China moving forward."

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