Murderer of currency exchange counter worker repatriated from the Philippines

Murderer of currency exchange counter worker repatriated from the Philippines. May. 14, 2015 07:24. bjk@donga.com.

Kim Sung-kon, a suspect who had fled to the Philippines after murdering a currency exchange counter worker and stealing money from her, was repatriated to Korea in eight years.

The Justice Ministry of Korea said Wednesday the Philippines judicial authorities handed Kim over to Korea. He arrived at the Incheon International Airport at 5:30 p.m. and was transferred to Busan Metropolitan Police Agency for investigation.

According to the Justice Ministry and judicial authorities, Kim, Choi Se-yong and others stabbed to death a female employee at a currency exchange counter in Anyang City, Gyeonggi Province in July 2007, took 180 million won (163,964 million U.S. dollars) from the counter and fled to the Philippines.

In December 2011, the Philippines judicial authorities arrested Kim on charges of illegal possession of firearm, but he escaped prison in 12 days after buying off a local policeman. Kim was re-arrested after six months and was sentenced to five years in prison last year by the Philippines court.

However, Kim’s extradition to Korea was challenged by the Korea-Philippines treaty by which extradition can be postponed until before the execution of sentence is completed. Choi, who was known to be the main culprit of the murder, was arrested in Thailand and was temporarily transferred to Korea, but was partially denying the crime. Kim’s extradition was all the more urgent due to this reason. Justice Minister Hwang Kyo-an sent a personally handwritten letter to the Philippines authorities and met a high-raking Philippines official to request temporary extradition of Kim. In an exceptional circumstance, the Philippines government approved his temporary extradition ahead of sentence execution.