Age, Biography, and Wiki
Lee Choon-jae was born on January 31, 1963. He is infamous for the Hwaseong serial murders, which involved the murder of fifteen women and girls, along with numerous sexual assaults. The case remained unsolved for thirty years and is considered one of the most notorious in modern South Korean history.
| Occupation | Serial Killers |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 31 January 1963 |
| Age | 62 Years |
| Birth Place | N/A |
| Horoscope | Aquarius |
| Country |
Height, Weight & Measurements
There is no publicly available information regarding Lee Choon-jae's height, weight, or other physical measurements.
A suspect sketch was drawn based on the memory of a bus driver, surname Kang, and bus conductor, surname Uhm, who saw a man get on the bus shortly after the seventh murder on September 7, 1988. The characteristics of the suspect, which were described by the bus driver, were similar to the descriptions given by survivors who were sexually assaulted. According to the victims, the culprit at the time of the incident was a thin-framed man in his mid-20s, with a height of 165 to 170 centimeters, short cut sporty-type hair, no double eyelids, and a sharp nose. In addition, he was described as having soft hands. Police also stated that the suspect had a "B" blood type, but in 2019, police acknowledged that this was likely inaccurate, because Lee had blood type "O". A survivor of the serial murders, 36-year-old Lee Geum-ran, was attacked by Lee sometime in late 1986 and she described him as skinny, with a low voice.
| Height | |
| Weight | |
| Body Measurements | |
| Eye Color | |
| Hair Color |
Dating & Relationship Status
Public details about Lee Choon-jae's personal relationships are scarce, as his personal life is overshadowed by his criminal activities.
According to his mother, he had a good education and worked well with others. Lee had a younger brother who drowned in his childhood, an incident which purportedly traumatized him.
After graduating from high school in February 1983, Lee joined the Republic of Korea Army and served as a tank driver where he was discharged in January 1986. In 1990 he began working for a construction company as an unlicensed crane operator in Cheongpa-dong, Yongsan District, Seoul. The following year, he was employed as a crane driver for a company in Cheongwon, North Chungcheong Province, which he ultimately quit in March 1993. In April 1992, Lee married an administrator and had a son with her. However, Lee was a violent alcoholic who often physically abused his wife and child.
After Lee's wife left him in December 1993, he invited over his 18-year-old sister-in-law, then proceeded to drug, rape, and kill her on January 13, 1994. According to the detective who investigated him, Lee went to his father-in-law offering help in the search for his missing sister-in-law, and both reported that she might have been abducted. Lee was arrested a few days later, on January 18, after repeated questioning where he later asked, "How many years do you serve in prison for rape and murder?" Lee denied any responsibility and the court overturned his confession, stating that he made a false statement because of police coercion. However, Lee was convicted and sentenced to death in May 1994, and his conviction was upheld in September of the same year. The Supreme Court of Korea reviewed the case in 1995 and Lee's death sentence was reduced to life imprisonment, with the possibility of parole after 20 years.
| Parents | |
| Husband | |
| Sibling | |
| Children |
Net Worth and Salary
As a convicted serial killer, Lee Choon-jae does not have a publicly disclosed net worth. His financial activities are likely limited to his prison environment, and any earnings would be minimal and institutionally controlled.
Career, Business, and Investments
Lee Choon-jae's "career" is marked by his criminal activities. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after twenty years for killing his sister-in-law in 1994. Despite confessing to the Hwaseong murders in 2019, he could not be prosecuted for them due to the statute of limitations.
Social Network
Lee Choon-jae does not have a public social media presence, as he is incarcerated and his activities are restricted by prison authorities.
On July 2, 2020, the police confirmed that Lee committed 14 murders and 9 rapes in relation to the Hwaseong serial murders with the motive of relieving his sexual desire, closing the case 33 years after the first victim's death. On November 2, 2020, Lee appeared in court as a witness for the 8th murder re-trial, where he publicly confessed to committing 14 murders in relation to the Hwaseong serial murders and 30 sex crimes, which led to Yoon being acquitted. Lee remained in prison serving his life sentence. Lee also expressed that he had no intention of seeking parole and release, as he did not want to face the public condemnation for his crime like notorious child rapist Cho Doo-soon, whose release after serving his 12-year jail term led to public outrage and widespread protests.
Education
There is no publicly available information regarding Lee Choon-jae's educational background.
In conclusion, Lee Choon-jae's life is defined by his criminal acts rather than any conventional career or financial achievements. His case has had a significant impact on South Korean society and law enforcement practices.
The release of the film Memories of Murder in 2003, which was partially inspired by the serial murders, sparked renewed interest in the case. The murder of a female college student in Hwaseong in 2004 also sparked renewed interest and fears that a serial killer had returned. The serial murders made headlines again as the statute of limitations for the most recent victims was due to expire on April 2, 2006. At the time of the killings, there was a 15-year statute of limitations for first-degree murder. This was increased to 25 years in 2007, and finally lifted in 2015, but it was not retroactive. However, evidence and police records were kept due to the significance of the case.
