Lee Ki-young charged with murder of taxi driver, ex-girlfriend

Lee Ki-young was charged with the murder of a taxi driver and his ex-girlfriend on Wednesday. [NEWS1]

 
Lee Ki-young was charged with the murder of a taxi driver and his ex-girlfriend.
 
The 31-year-old suspect appeared before the press for the first time since his identity was revealed last Thursday. He hid his face under a mask and a hood. Under the current law, police cannot force a suspect to reveal their face to the press. 
 
Lee refused to remove his mask, saying he does not want his family to be aware of his alleged crimes.  
 
When asked about what he wants to say to the families of the victims, he said "I am sorry." 
 
Lee also claimed there are no other victims.
 
The charges against Lee are robbery with homicide, abandonment and concealment of dead bodies, theft, fraud and violations of the credit finance business act. 
 
Lee is accused of murdering the taxi driver after smashing into his car, possibly while inebriated. He allegedly told the 60-year-old taxi driver that he would compensate him if he did not call the police and told him he must come to his home in Paju, Gyeonggi, to collect the money, the police said.  
 
Lee allegedly said he and the driver got into an argument at his home, and he killed him and hid his body in a closet.
 
Under questioning, Lee confessed to the August killing of an ex-girlfriend in her 50s.  
 
The police found traces of blood in a travel bag at Lee's ex-girlfriend's apartment and are still searching for her body. 
 
Lee is also accused of using the credit cards of his victims and taking out loans in their names, approximately 70 million won ($54,000) in total, after murdering them. 

BY CHO JUNG-WOO, JANG GU-SEUL [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]