3 South Korean Men Charged In Malaysia Face 40 Years In Jail And Caning
The trio is accused of abducting a fellow South Korean before allegedly demanding RM40 million from the victim's family, in a case that later uncovered links to illegal gambling and an Interpol Red Notice fugitive.
Cover image via Kosmo!Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp for the latest stories and breaking news.
Three South Korean men pleaded not guilty at the Raub Sessions Court in Pahang today, 18 May, to charges of kidnapping a fellow countryman and allegedly demanding a ransom worth nearly RM40 million in cryptocurrency
The accused — Kwon Kyungryul, 28, Kwak Jaeil, 40, and Kim Myeong Joon, 40 — entered their pleas after the charges were read out in Korean before Judge Noor Zaihan Mohamad Ali through a court interpreter, reported Bernama.
According to the charge sheet, the trio allegedly acted with a common intention to unlawfully confine and hold a 40-year-old South Korean man at KM16, Jalan Genting Highlands, Bentong, on 17 April.
They are accused of demanding a ransom of USDT10 million, a form of cryptocurrency known as Tether that is pegged to the US dollar. The amount is estimated to be worth around RM39.7 million.
The three men were charged under Section 3(1) of the Kidnapping Act 1961, which carries a prison sentence of between 30 and 40 years, as well as caning, upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Fathin Nadhirah Kasim requested another case mention date to allow for the submission of documents and for the accused to appoint legal representation.
She also informed the court that the case had been reported to the South Korean Embassy.
Judge Noor Zaihan later fixed 29 June for the next case mention and ordered that all three accused remain in custody without bail.
Earlier proceedings on the case were postponed after it was found that the accused did not understand English well enough for the charges to be properly explained to them
At the earlier hearing on 8 May, one of the accused reportedly told the court, "I understand a little bit", when asked if they understood English.
The court then ordered a Korean interpreter to be appointed before the case could proceed today.
During the earlier court appearance, the three men arrived dressed in black shirts and shorts and reportedly attempted to avoid media cameras by lowering their heads and covering their faces.
The alleged kidnapping came to light after Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk M Kumar revealed details of the case
Police alleged that the victim was intercepted at gunpoint on 17 April while travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Genting Highlands before being taken to a homestay in Melaka.
Authorities said the suspects then allegedly extorted the victim's family for a ransom payment of USDT10 million.
The victim was rescued by police four days later.
However, the case later took another turn after investigators allegedly discovered that the victim himself was wanted by South Korean authorities.
Police said the man was allegedly involved in illegal gambling activities in South Korea and had been living in hiding in Malaysia for around a decade while listed under Interpol's Red Notice system.
