South Korean Fugitive Captured in Vietnam, Extradited for “Barrel Murder” Case
PUBLISHED: 26 Sep 2024 at 16:35
The final suspect in the notorious Pattaya “barrel murder” case has been apprehended in Vietnam and extradited to South Korea after a four-month manhunt.
The suspect, believed to be in his 30s, was arrested by Vietnamese police on September 12 and returned to South Korea on Tuesday, according to reports from South Korea’s National Police Agency.
The successful apprehension followed a coordinated operation where South Korean authorities provided intelligence to their Vietnamese counterparts. Law enforcement officials traveled to Vietnam to assist in the arrest.
Though South Korean police have not disclosed the suspect’s identity, Thai authorities previously identified him as Kim Hyeong-won. He is alleged to have fled Thailand to Myanmar after the murder of Roh Eui-jong in May.
The suspects reportedly disposed of the victim’s body in a plastic barrel, which was then submerged in the Map Prachan reservoir in the Bang Lamung district, near Pattaya.
Prior to this arrest, two other suspects—Lee Roun, in his 20s, and Lee Yong-jin, 27—were also apprehended and extradited to South Korea, where they are currently facing trial.
The motive behind this gruesome crime remains under investigation.
