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Lee Choon-jae

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Lee Choon-jae

Lee Choon-jae (Korean: 이춘재; born 31 January 1963), also known as the Hwaseong Murderer, is a South Korean serial killer known for committing the Hwaseong serial murders (Korean: 화성 연쇄 살인 사건; Hanja: 華城連鎖殺人事件; RR: hwaseong yeonswae sarin sageon). Between 1986 and 1994, Lee murdered fifteen women and girls in addition to committing numerous sexual assaults, predominantly in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, and the surrounding areas. The murders, which remained unsolved for thirty years, are considered to be the most infamous in modern South Korean history and were the inspiration for the 2003 film Memories of Murder. Lee was sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after twenty years for killing his sister-in-law in 1994, but despite DNA evidence and his confession to the other murders in 2019, he could not be prosecuted for them because the statute of limitations had expired.

Infobox

Born
January 31, 1963 (1963-01-31) (age 62)Hwaseong, South Korea
Spouse
mw- Unknown (m. 1992)
Children
1
Conviction
Murder
Criminal penalty
Death (May 1994); commuted to life imprisonment
Victims
At least 45 victims (see § List of known victims) 1 convicted murder, 14 confessed murdersOver 30 confessed and attempted rapes
Span of crimes
February 8, 1986 – January 13, 1994
Locations
Hwaseong, South Korea
Killed
15 (1 convicted, 14 confessed)
Date apprehended
January 18, 1994; 31 years ago (1994-01-18)
Hangul
이춘재
Hanja
李春在
RR
I Chunjae
MR
I Ch'unjae

Tables

· List of known victims
1
1
Crime
1
Date and time of crime (estimated)
September 15, 198606:20
Date and time of discovery
September 19, 198614:00
Victim and age
Lee Wan-im, 71
Location
Taean-eup (now called Hwaseong), Annyeong-ri (now called Annyeong-dong), pasture
Remarks
Elder murdered while returning home after visiting her daughter.Evidence found: Strangled by hand, negative semen reaction
2
2
Crime
2
Date and time of crime (estimated)
October 20, 198622:00
Date and time of discovery
October 23, 198614:50
Victim and age
Park Hyun-sook, 25
Location
Taean-eup (now called Hwaseong), Jinan-ri (now called Jinan-dong), canal
Remarks
Murdered after getting off the bus while returning home from Songtan after meeting with a prospective marriage partner.Evidence found: Strangled by hand, semen (blood type cannot be determined)
3
3
Crime
3
Date and time of crime (estimated)
December 12, 198623:00
Date and time of discovery
April 23, 198714:00
Victim and age
Kwon Jung-bon, 25
Location
Taean-eup (now called Hwaseong), Annyeong-ri (now called Annyeong-dong), embankment
Remarks
Housewife murdered in front of her house.Evidence found: Strangled by stockings, gagged with her stockings, panties on the face, semen (blood type cannot be determined)
4
4
Crime
4
Date and time of crime (estimated)
December 14, 198623:00
Date and time of discovery
December 21, 198612:30
Victim and age
Lee Kye-sook, 23
Location
Jeongnam-myeon, Gwanhang-ri, ridge between rice fields
Remarks
Murdered after getting off the bus while returning home after meeting with a prospective marriage partner.Evidence found: Hands tied, strangled and violated by an umbrella, girdle covering her face, semen (blood type cannot be determined)
5
5
Crime
5
Date and time of crime (estimated)
January 10, 198720:50
Date and time of discovery
January 11, 198713:00
Victim and age
Hong Jin-young, 19
Location
Taean-eup (now called Hwaseong), Hwanggye-ri (now called Hwanggye-dong), rice paddy
Remarks
High school girl murdered after getting off the bus while returning home.Evidence found: Hands tied, gagged with her socks, strangled, semen (blood type cannot be determined)
6
6
Crime
6
Date and time of crime (estimated)
May 2, 198723:00
Date and time of discovery
May 9, 198715:00
Victim and age
Park Eun-joo, 29
Location
Taean-eup (now called Hwaseong), Jinan-ri (now called Jinan-dong), hill
Remarks
Housewife murdered while going to give her husband an umbrella.Evidence found: strangled, semen (blood type cannot be determined)
7
7
Crime
7
Date and time of crime (estimated)
September 7, 198721:30
Date and time of discovery
September 8, 198709:30
Victim and age
Ahn Gi-soon, 54
Location
Paltan-myeon, Gajae-ri, canal
Remarks
Housewife murdered after getting off the bus while returning home.Evidence found: Hands tied, gagged with her socks and handkerchief, strangled, peach slices, semen (blood type cannot be determined)
8
8
Crime
8
Date and time of crime (estimated)
September 16, 198802:00
Date and time of discovery
September 16, 198806:50
Victim and age
Park Sang-hee, 14
Location
Taean-eup (now called Hwaseong), Jinan-ri (now called Jinan-dong), house
Remarks
Middle school girl murdered while sleeping in her room. Initially determined to be a copycat crime perpetrated by 22-year-old Yoon Sung-yeo, who served 19.5 years in jail before being released on parole in 2009. However, after Lee's confession in 2019, police reached a provisional conclusion that Lee was indeed the killer. Yoon filed for a re-trial on 13 November 2019.
9
9
Crime
9
Date and time of crime (estimated)
November 15, 199018:30 (weather: foggy)
Date and time of discovery
November 16, 199009:50
Victim and age
Kim Mi-jung, 14
Location
Taean-eup (now called Hwaseong), Byeongjeom-dong (now called Byeongjeom-dong), hill
Remarks
Middle school girl murdered while returning home.Evidence found: Hands and feet tied, strangled, gagged with her bra, ballpoint pen, fork, spoon and razor blade, semen (blood-type determined to be "B")
10
10
Crime
10
Date and time of crime (estimated)
April 3, 199121:00 (weather: clear)
Date and time of discovery
April 4, 199109:30
Victim and age
Kwon Soon-sang, 69
Location
Dongtan-myeon, Bansong-ri (now called Bansong-dong), hill
Remarks
Elder murdered after getting off the bus while returning home.Evidence found: Strangled, two footprint marks (couldn't be analyzed), semen (blood-type determined to be "B")
11
11
Crime
11
Date and time of crime (estimated)
December 24, 1987
Date and time of discovery
January 4, 1988
Victim and age
Kim Mi-soon, 18
Location
Hwaseong
12
12
Crime
12
Date and time of crime (estimated)
July 7, 1989
Date and time of discovery
N/A
Victim and age
Kim Hyun-jung, 8
Location
Hwaseong
13
13
Crime
13
Date and time of crime (estimated)
January 26, 1991
Date and time of discovery
January 27, 1991
Victim and age
Park Mi-hwa, 17
Location
Hwaseong
14
14
Crime
14
Date and time of crime (estimated)
March 7, 1991
Date and time of discovery
March 7, 1991
Victim and age
Kim Hong-bun, 27
Location
Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province
15
15
Crime
15
Date and time of crime (estimated)
January 13, 1994
Date and time of discovery
January 15, 1994
Victim and age
Lee's sister-in-law, 18
Location
Bokdae-dong, Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province
Remarks
Lee was sentenced to death for rape and murder. Reduced to life imprisonment by the Supreme Court.
Crime
Date and time of crime (estimated)
Date and time of discovery
Victim and age
Location
Remarks
1
September 15, 198606:20
September 19, 198614:00
Lee Wan-im, 71
Taean-eup (now called Hwaseong), Annyeong-ri (now called Annyeong-dong), pasture
Elder murdered while returning home after visiting her daughter.Evidence found: Strangled by hand, negative semen reaction
2
October 20, 198622:00
October 23, 198614:50
Park Hyun-sook, 25
Taean-eup (now called Hwaseong), Jinan-ri (now called Jinan-dong), canal
Murdered after getting off the bus while returning home from Songtan after meeting with a prospective marriage partner.Evidence found: Strangled by hand, semen (blood type cannot be determined)
3
December 12, 198623:00
April 23, 198714:00
Kwon Jung-bon, 25
Taean-eup (now called Hwaseong), Annyeong-ri (now called Annyeong-dong), embankment
Housewife murdered in front of her house.Evidence found: Strangled by stockings, gagged with her stockings, panties on the face, semen (blood type cannot be determined)
4
December 14, 198623:00
December 21, 198612:30
Lee Kye-sook, 23
Jeongnam-myeon, Gwanhang-ri, ridge between rice fields
Murdered after getting off the bus while returning home after meeting with a prospective marriage partner.Evidence found: Hands tied, strangled and violated by an umbrella, girdle covering her face, semen (blood type cannot be determined)
5
January 10, 198720:50
January 11, 198713:00
Hong Jin-young, 19
Taean-eup (now called Hwaseong), Hwanggye-ri (now called Hwanggye-dong), rice paddy
High school girl murdered after getting off the bus while returning home.Evidence found: Hands tied, gagged with her socks, strangled, semen (blood type cannot be determined)
6
May 2, 198723:00
May 9, 198715:00
Park Eun-joo, 29
Taean-eup (now called Hwaseong), Jinan-ri (now called Jinan-dong), hill
Housewife murdered while going to give her husband an umbrella.Evidence found: strangled, semen (blood type cannot be determined)
7
September 7, 198721:30
September 8, 198709:30
Ahn Gi-soon, 54
Paltan-myeon, Gajae-ri, canal
Housewife murdered after getting off the bus while returning home.Evidence found: Hands tied, gagged with her socks and handkerchief, strangled, peach slices, semen (blood type cannot be determined)
8
September 16, 198802:00
September 16, 198806:50
Park Sang-hee, 14
Taean-eup (now called Hwaseong), Jinan-ri (now called Jinan-dong), house
Middle school girl murdered while sleeping in her room. Initially determined to be a copycat crime perpetrated by 22-year-old Yoon Sung-yeo, who served 19.5 years in jail before being released on parole in 2009. However, after Lee's confession in 2019, police reached a provisional conclusion that Lee was indeed the killer. Yoon filed for a re-trial on 13 November 2019.
9
November 15, 199018:30 (weather: foggy)
November 16, 199009:50
Kim Mi-jung, 14
Taean-eup (now called Hwaseong), Byeongjeom-dong (now called Byeongjeom-dong), hill
Middle school girl murdered while returning home.Evidence found: Hands and feet tied, strangled, gagged with her bra, ballpoint pen, fork, spoon and razor blade, semen (blood-type determined to be "B")
10
April 3, 199121:00 (weather: clear)
April 4, 199109:30
Kwon Soon-sang, 69
Dongtan-myeon, Bansong-ri (now called Bansong-dong), hill
Elder murdered after getting off the bus while returning home.Evidence found: Strangled, two footprint marks (couldn't be analyzed), semen (blood-type determined to be "B")
11
December 24, 1987
January 4, 1988
Kim Mi-soon, 18
Hwaseong
12
July 7, 1989
N/A
Kim Hyun-jung, 8
Hwaseong
13
January 26, 1991
January 27, 1991
Park Mi-hwa, 17
Hwaseong
14
March 7, 1991
March 7, 1991
Kim Hong-bun, 27
Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province
15
January 13, 1994
January 15, 1994
Lee's sister-in-law, 18
Bokdae-dong, Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province
Lee was sentenced to death for rape and murder. Reduced to life imprisonment by the Supreme Court.

References

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