A South Korean man, covered with a mask, on suspicion of murdering his wife and seven-year-old son at a Ritz-Carlton hotel, sits inside a police wan as he is taken to a court in Hong Kong January 16, 2018. REUTERS/Bobby Yip
January 16, 2018
HONG KONG (Reuters) – A South Korean man was formally charged on Tuesday with murdering his wife and six-year-old son at the five-star Ritz-Carlton hotel in Hong Kong.
Kim Min-ho, 42, was arrested after police found the bodies of his wife, Song Wha-jeong, 42, and son, Kim Tae-yun, on Sunday in a suite at the hotel which overlooks the financial center’s Victoria Harbour.
Kim appeared in court wearing a dark blue jacket and hood. Slightly balding and wearing glasses, Kim stared blankly across the room as the two charges were read to him in Korean by an interpreter. He had been photographed earlier in hospital with his left hand bandaged and escorted by police officers.
When asked whether he understood the charges, he said, “yes, I do” quietly.
A lawyer for Kim requested the case be adjourned till Jan. 30 to allow time to obtain psychiatric reports to see whether is fit to stand trial. He will remain in custody until then.
The Ritz-Carlton takes up the top 15 floors of Hong Kong’s tallest building, the International Commerce Centre. According to the charge sheet, Kim committed the alleged murders in room 31 on the 109th floor.
The South Korean consulate said in an email to Reuters that it had been informed of this “tragic incident” and was “closely cooperating with the Hong Kong police to investigate” while providing assistance to the family of the victims.
(Reporting by James Pomfret; Editing by Nick Macfie)
