[Anchor]

A 26-year-old man, identified as Kim Seong-woo, who is accused of murdering his mother-in-law and abducting his wife in Songpa-gu, Seoul, has been transferred to the prosecution. Police investigations revealed that he committed stalking 18 times prior to the crime and even violated a court-issued restraining order.

Reporter Kim Gyu-ri has the details.

[Reporter]

A man with his face covered with a hat and a mask, and handcuffs on both hands, steps out of the police station.

[Kim Seong-woo / Suspect in Mother-in-Law's Murder: (Why did you kill your mother-in-law? Did you kill her for retaliation? Is it true that it was planned from the beginning?) ......]

Kim Seong-woo, a 26-year-old public service worker accused of murdering his mother-in-law and abducting his wife in Songpa-gu, Seoul, was transferred to the prosecution today (October 20) in police custody.

The Seoul Songpa Police Station announced that it has transferred Kim with charges of retaliatory murder and retaliatory confinement, along with additional charges including special obstruction of official duties resulting in injury and violation of the Stalking Punishment Act.

Police concluded that Kim committed the crime in retaliation after his wife reported him for assault and filed a lawsuit for the nullification of their marriage.

Kim is accused of attempting to forcibly drag his wife away in front of the victims' home on October 11, stabbing and killing her mother-in-law who tried to stop him, threatening his wife with a weapon as well, forcing her into a vehicle, and taking her to Yangyang, Gangwon Province, where he confined and assaulted her.

He is also accused of ramming into a pursuing patrol car during his flight, injuring two police officers.

Furthermore, investigations revealed that Kim engaged in stalking on 18 occasions from September 16 to October 11 by waiting near the victims' home and also violated a court restraining order.

During police questioning, Kim reportedly claimed that he had no intent to kill and only wanted to talk with his wife, after which he refused to make further statements.

(Video by: Kim Han-gyeol | Video Editing by: Kim Ho-jin)