Chinese consulate urges severe punishment after missing international student found dead in Gyeongsan

A Chinese international student was found dead Tuesday, five days after she went missing, and the Chinese consulate has called for severe punishment of the suspect.

The victim, a graduate student at a university in Gyeongsan, North Gyeongsang, was found at the residence of another Chinese national in Hayang-eup, Gyeongsan.

Police arrested the suspect on suspicion of murder on a street in Hayang-eup at around 7:29 p.m. Tuesday. After conducting an on-site investigation, police transferred him to Gyeongsan Police Station at around 11:50 p.m. the same day.

The police investigation also found that the suspect was the person who first reported the student missing Friday, the day she disappeared.

Following the incident, the Chinese Consulate General in Busan has called for severe punishment of the suspect.

“A Chinese female international student who had been missing for several days was found dead that day, as confirmed by Korean police,” the consulate said Tuesday, adding that the man had been arrested on suspicion of murder, China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency reported Wednesday.

The consulate called on Korean police to conduct a thorough investigation and severely punish the perpetrator. It also said it would provide consular assistance to the victim’s family in handling matters following her death.

While entering the police station, the suspect did not respond to reporters’ questions about his motive

Police plan to question the suspect about his motive and other details before seeking an arrest warrant.

BY JEONG HYE-JEONG [[email protected]]