South Korean police have publicly identified a Chinese university lecturer suspected of killing and dismembering his 25-year-old female student in Gyeongsan last month.
The Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency on Tuesday identified the suspect as Zheng Changsheng, 31, after a personal information disclosure review committee approved the release of his name, age and mug shots.
The committee cited the seriousness and brutality of the alleged crime, the strength of the evidence and the public interest in preventing future crimes in deciding to disclose his identity.
Zheng’s personal information was posted on the agency’s website on Tuesday and will remain available until October 1.
The victim, also a Chinese national, had entered South Korea on August 14 to attend her commencement ceremony. She went missing on August 20, the day of the ceremony.
Zheng, who had taught at the graduate school attended by the victim, was arrested at around 7.30pm on August 25 in Gyeongsan.
Police suspect he killed the woman at his residence in Hayang-eup, Gyeongsan, on August 20 before dismembering her body and disposing of the remains at multiple locations, including Gyeongju in North Gyeongsang Province and Gunpo in Gyeonggi Province.
Investigators also suspect Zheng attempted to mislead police after the killing by dressing in women’s clothing and traveling to Dongdaegu Station with the victim’s mobile phone, which he switched off near the station.
He is also accused of filing a false missing-person report while posing as the victim’s boyfriend in an apparent attempt to obstruct the investigation.
Zheng is slapped with five charges, including murder, mutilation, abandonment of a corpse, concealment of a corpse and obstruction of official duties by deception.
The case is expected to be referred to prosecutors on Friday.
