A university lecturer has been charged with killing and dismembering a student he was seeing out of fear of losing his job.
Zheng Changsheng, 31, allegedly killed the 25-year-old female graduate who had taken his class before dumping her remains in more than one place.
The police sent the case to prosecutors today (4 Sep).
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The alleged killing took place at the Chinese lecturer’s studio flat in Gyeongsan City, South Korea, in the early hours of 20 August.
The victim, who was also Chinese, had flown in on 14 August to collect her master’s diploma.
She vanished on the night of the ceremony.
Zheng taught two classes at the same university and was due to teach again.
The police said he believed he would lose his job if she revealed their romantic relationship.
CCTV images showed the pair entering his home at about 2pm on 20 August.
He later reported her missing and told police officers he was her boyfriend.
Investigators said his account quickly fell apart.
He is also accused of turning off her phone near Dongdaegu Station and dressing in her clothes to fake her movements and throw the police off the trail.
He was arrested in the street on 25 August.
The victim’s body was found at his home the same day.
Local police have named him and posted his photograph until 1 October.
A naming panel said the crime’s brutality, the harm done, the strength of the evidence and the need to prevent further offences justified the disclosure.
He faces murder, mutilation, abandoning a corpse, concealing a corpse and obstructing officers.
Daegu District Court ordered him to be held over fears he would flee.
Under interrogation, he said they argued and that he strangled her.
That is his account, not a court finding.
He first refused a psychological assessment but then sat one, as reported by Need To Know.
The results have not been released.
The university is now looking into whether he made advances on other Chinese students.
The Chinese consulate in Busan has called for a full investigation and severe punishment.
The victim has not been publicly named.
The prosecution file is now with the courts.
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