Identity of suspect in Gyeongsan friend-killing case made public

The identity of Jeong Jae-hwan, 24, accused of stabbing a friend to death dozens of times at an apartment in Gyeongsan, North Gyeongsang Province, has been made public.

The North Gyeongsang Provincial Police Agency posted Jeong's name, photo and age on its website Thursday.

Police had convened an identity-disclosure review committee on Friday, July 10, and decided to release the information.

Jeong contested the decision, however, triggering a five-day grace period that expired Thursday before the information was published.

The disclosure will remain posted through Aug. 18.

Jeong is accused of stabbing a friend dozens of times with a bladed weapon at around 4 a.m. on Saturday, July 4, at his apartment in Hayang-eup, Gyeongsan, while the two were drinking together.

Immediately after the attack, he wandered to a nearby convenience store and other locations covered in blood before returning home, where police arrested him.

Jeong told investigators during questioning that he could not remember what happened because he had been drunk, and did not give a detailed account of the incident.