Korean murder suspect arrested in Hanoi after fleeing Thailand

A South Korean national, wanted for murder in Thailand, was captured in Hanoi after fleeing through several countries. Kim Hyeong Gwon, 39, was arrested by Dong Da District police on September 12 under an international warrant. He was extradited to South Korea on Monday.

Kim is accused of the murder of Roh Eui Jong, 34, a fellow South Korean who disappeared after arriving in Thailand on April 30, as reported by The Nation and Korea Times. Roh's mother in South Korea later received a ransom demand for ฿3 million (US$92,011).

On May 11, Thai authorities found a body encased in cement inside a 200-liter barrel submerged in Map Prachan Reservoir. DNA tests confirmed the remains were Roh's.

Kim reportedly fled Thailand to Laos, before illegally entering Vietnam through Da Nang and eventually making his way to Hanoi, where he stayed in various hotels.

The case has led to multiple arrests. One suspect, Lee Roun, was apprehended in South Korea’s Jeongeup City on May 12. Another suspect, Lee Young Jin, fled to Cambodia but was captured on May 14 in a coordinated effort between South Korean and Cambodian police.