Seven arrested in South Korea over contract killing plot

South Korean police have arrested seven people in connection with a contract killing plot, including the individual who commissioned the assault. The suspects allegedly conspired to violently attack a victim for a payment of 80 million won (approximately $60,000 USD).

The investigation, led by the Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police Agency, revealed that the alleged instigator, a man in his 30s, hired an acquaintance to find assailants. This acquaintance then contacted former colleagues, who recruited others to carry out the attack. The group reportedly divided roles, including planning, surveillance, and the physical assault itself.

Authorities recovered chat messages detailing specific instructions for the attack, such as "beat them to the point of hospitalization for two to three months" and "hit the face first, then other areas." The victim was reportedly attacked by two men while returning home in Uijeongbu city last month, sustaining severe facial injuries.

During the investigation, some of the accused allegedly attempted to obstruct justice by instructing other participants to provide false testimonies, offering them 10 million won (approximately $7,500 USD) in return. Police emphasized that all participants in such crimes, even those who commission them, can face severe penalties and stated that arrests would be made for all involved parties.