[Anchor]

It has been confirmed that the father of Jang Yoon-gi, who is accused of kidnapping and murdering a high school student he had never met last May, destroyed key evidence that could have proven sexual assault charges against his son. The father is a serving police officer.

Reporter Kim Deok-hyeon reports.

[Reporter]

In the early hours of May 5, 23-year-old Jang Yoon-gi kidnapped Lee Chae-won, a high school student he had no prior connection with, in downtown Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, and brutally murdered her with a weapon.

Arrested 11 hours after the crime, Jang claimed it was an impulsive act. The police referred the case to the prosecution on charges including murder, but did not include sexual assault charges.

However, it has been confirmed that the police missed key evidence that could have proven the motive was sexual assault during the initial investigation.

Although police identified several damaged sex dolls while searching Jang’s residence, they failed to secure them. It was later discovered that immediately after, Jang’s father dismantled the dolls and disposed of them in various locations across Gwangju.

The father, who SBS confirmed is a mid-ranking police officer currently serving in the Gwangju region, was also found to have burned a mobile phone previously used by Jang after the incident occurred.

Furthermore, the police failed to secure the SD card from the dashcam in Jang’s vehicle. During a subsequent search and seizure by the prosecution, the SD card was recovered, revealing a recording of Jang telling an acquaintance, "Only the woman who appeared in front of me is pitiful."

Based on these findings, the prosecution concluded that Jang’s murder was motivated by sexual assault. They changed the charges to include rape-murder and indicted him last month.

It is reported that during the prosecution's investigation, Jang’s father stated that he was "concerned that his son’s crime would be linked to sexual matters."

Following the SBS report, Minister of Justice Jeong Seong-ho stated on social media that evidence not secured during the police investigation was identified during the prosecution’s supplementary investigation. He added that he would do his utmost until the end to ensure that a fitting punishment is delivered for the tragic death of the late Lee Chae-won.

(Video Editing: Shin Se-eun)