Police investigate possible accomplices in Paju freezer murder

Police are widening their investigation into the death of a woman whose body was found in a freezer at a cafe in Paju, north of Seoul. They are examining whether the cafe owner acted alone and whether the killing had been planned.

Investigators are tracing how the victim came to meet the cafe owner, when the freezer was installed, and where the owner went after the crime. They are also checking whether people connected to the case took part, including a man who drove the woman from Seoul to Paju and a third party who introduced her to the owner.

The woman had reportedly been asked to act as an intermediary in a deal involving gift certificates held by the cafe owner. She was supposed to help verify whether the certificates were genuine. She met the cafe owner, identified as a man in his 30s, at a large supermarket in Paju on the morning of Sept. 3. The two had not previously known each other, and she then rode with him to the cafe.

Police say the owner took her to the freezer, claiming the gift certificates were stored there, and later left alone. The freezer was set to minus 25 degrees Celsius, with its actual internal temperature around minus 18 degrees. The door reportedly could not be opened from inside. Police asked the National Forensic Service to conduct an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

Investigators found department-store gift certificates with a face value of about 50 billion won in the freezer. They are checking whether the certificates were counterfeit, how they entered circulation, and whether an actual sale took place. Police are also investigating when and why the freezer was installed, after nearby residents said they had not seen it until late August. The victim was reported missing early on Sept. 4, found at the cafe that afternoon, and the cafe owner was arrested the same day and detained on suspicion of luring and killing her.