Jeju Police are currently investigating a murder case involving a Chinese national who is believed to have been killed during a cryptocurrency transaction at a luxury hotel in Jeju City on February 24.
The Jeju West Police Station has identified four suspects, also Chinese nationals, comprising two women and two men—one of whom is in his 60s.
It is alleged that they fled with 85 million won ($63,500) belonging to the victim, a man in his 30s.
The incident surfaced after an associate of the deceased reported him missing after an unreturned cryptocurrency transaction.
Upon their arrival at the scene around 5:10 p.m., police discovered the man’s body with multiple stab wounds.
Following the discovery, a female suspect in her 30s turned herself in at a Seogwipo police station.
The other two suspects were apprehended at Jeju International Airport attempting to exit the country, while the fourth, a man in his 60s, was arrested at a hotel casino.
Authorities are now probing whether this was a premeditated attack or a spontaneous altercation that turned deadly.
Initial enquiries suggest the woman who surrendered may have played a pivotal role in the murder.
As part of their investigation, police are examining phone records, security camera footage, and transaction details to piece together the sequence of events.
All suspects were confirmed to have entered South Korea on tourist visas and had no previous criminal activities recorded in the country.
However, the police are investigating the possibility of their involvement in a broader network related to cryptocurrency crimes, prompting local law enforcement to heighten surveillance of digital asset transactions due to an uptick in related fraud and violent incidents.
