The special investigation unit of the Korean National Police Agency's National Investigation Headquarters has reversed an earlier statement, saying suspect Jang Yun-gi did not previously know Lee Chae-won, the high school student who was killed.
The unit said Wednesday in a press notice that it had investigated "the circumstantial evidence mentioned at the time of the interim investigation briefing — that Jang may have known the victim one-sidedly — and found that this was not the case."
The unit held an interim briefing on July 15, announcing it had confirmed indications that Jang knew the victim before the crime. Jang has maintained since his arrest that the killing was impulsive. The earlier announcement had drawn significant attention as potential evidence of premeditated murder.
The reversal has drawn criticism that the unit acted hastily by releasing unverified information without first consulting the victim's family, compounding confusion over the case.
The unit said it had "deeply apologized" to the victim's family for "failing to seek their understanding in advance while disclosing the investigative agency's error, and for not giving them sufficient consideration." It added that it would "continue to approach the investigation with caution and transparency."
arin@heraldcorp.com
