Chinese Lecturer Arrested in South Korea for Alleged Murder of Fellow Student

A Chinese female graduate student was recently murdered in Gyeongsan, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea. Police have requested an arrest warrant for Zheng (鄭), a Chinese university lecturer in his 30s, who is suspected in the case. During police questioning, Zheng partially admitted to the crime, stating he killed the 25-year-old victim, identified as “A,” in the early hours of May 20.

Police announced on May 27 that Zheng confessed to killing A. CCTV footage showed A and Zheng entering Zheng's residence in Hayang-eup, Gyeongsan, together around 2 a.m. on May 20. This was the last time A was seen on camera. The footage did not show Zheng forcing or dragging A into the residence.

Investigators believe A contacted her family via social media around the time she entered the residence, marking her last communication with them.

However, around 10:30 p.m. that same day, Zheng was captured on CCTV leaving the residence alone, dressed in women's clothing and with his face obscured by a hat. Police stated that the clothing Zheng was wearing appeared to belong to A, but it was not what she wore when she entered the residence. Authorities are currently investigating the origin of the clothing through forensic analysis.

After leaving his residence, Zheng traveled to Dongdaegu Station, where police found he turned off A's mobile phone near the station. CCTV also showed him changing back into men's clothing in a restroom near Dongdaegu Station before returning to his residence.

Even more suspiciously, Zheng personally reported A missing to the police the following day, May 21, at 7:05 p.m.

Police currently believe Zheng's actions—wearing women's clothing, turning off A's phone, and reporting her missing—were an attempt to mislead the investigation and create false leads. A police official stated that considering Zheng's initial attempts to misdirect authorities, they are reviewing whether to add charges of obstruction of justice.

Furthermore, police have learned that Zheng allegedly dismembered and disposed of parts of A's body after the crime. The Gyeongsan Police Station announced on May 26 that they have initiated searches at nearby waste incineration plants and other suspected disposal sites to recover the remaining parts of the victim's body.

A, a 25-year-old Chinese graduate student, had already secured a job in China and had returned to South Korea on May 14 to collect her graduate certificate. She was allegedly murdered by Zheng. Zheng was arrested by police in Gyeongsan around 7:29 p.m. on May 25.

The university confirmed on May 26 that Zheng had served as a lecturer at the university where A studied. He taught two specialized courses during the spring semester and was scheduled to teach two “Human Anatomy” courses in the upcoming fall semester. It is reported that even after allegedly killing A, he continued to respond to messages in the department's group chat as if nothing had happened.

A university official stated that A was familiar with Zheng as both were Chinese nationals. It is understood that in local exchange communities for Chinese international students, there were discussions suggesting that “Zheng usually got along well with students and already knew A.” There are also reports that Zheng may have harbored unrequited feelings for A. However, the actual relationship between the two and Zheng's motive for the crime are still being investigated by the police.

Police are currently continuing to investigate the relationship between Zheng and A, the exact motive for the crime, and the detailed circumstances, as well as clarifying A's precise cause and time of death.