[Anchor]

Why did the police leadership, including the police chief at the time, go to such lengths to prevent the Jang Yoon-gi case from being linked to relationship-based crimes? Back in March, there was a stalking-related murder in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province. Despite multiple reports from the victim, the police failed to prevent the crime, and the investigation team faced mass disciplinary action for their inadequate response. The police special investigation unit believes that the leadership at Gwangsan Police Station intentionally downplayed the Jang Yoon-gi case, fearing the repercussions of the Namyangju incident.

Here is an exclusive report by Im Jihyeon.

[Reporter]

The police special investigation unit is focusing on the timing of the murder of the late Lee Chae-won, committed by Jang Yoon-gi on May 5.

Previously, on March 14, Kim Hoon, a stalking murderer in Namyangju, brutally killed a woman in her 20s whom he had previously dated as she was leaving work.

At the time, the victim had even been tracked by Kim Hoon and had reported him to the police multiple times, but she lost her life due to the police's inadequate response.

President Lee Jae-myung publicly rebuked the police, stating:

[President Lee Jae-myung: Isn't it true that this horrific crime could not be prevented due to a complacent response despite the victim's urgent requests? Please hurry to supplement the system strictly and thoroughly so that such tragedies do not recur.]

On April 7, the National Police Agency referred 16 people, including two police station chiefs, to a disciplinary committee and requested investigations into two others.

It was against this backdrop, with the police organization on high alert and conducting a thorough investigation into relationship-based crimes, that the Jang Yoon-gi case occurred.

SBS has learned that the special investigation unit has secured testimony that the police superintendent (a rank equivalent to a senior superintendent) surnamed Kim, who was the chief of Gwangsan Police Station during the investigation of the Jang Yoon-gi case, told the investigation team to "be careful," taking the atmosphere into account.

The special investigation unit believes that the Gwangsan Police Station leadership concluded the case as a general murder rather than a rape-murder, fearing that if the circumstances linking the Jang Yoon-gi case to relationship-based crimes were made public, it would lead to accountability and disciplinary action for their failure to respond properly.

Ultimately, they suspect that the Gwangsan Police Station leadership conducted a poor investigation for their own benefit, with the intent of evading responsibility.

The police have seized the office and mobile phone of the Gwangsan Police Station chief to verify the relevant circumstances and plan to summon the superintendent surnamed Kim soon to question him regarding these allegations.

When asked by SBS reporters for his position on the related allegations, the superintendent surnamed Kim did not provide an answer.

(Video reporting: Joo Yong-jin | Video editing: Lee So-young | Design: Lee Jun-ho)

▶ [Exclusive] "Ensure It Is Not Linked to Relationship-Based Crimes" After Stalking History Report
▶ Claimed Not to Know the Victim, But 'Traces' Found on Jang Yoon-gi's Phone