South Korean police gave evidence in Gwangju murder case to suspect's police-officer father, who destroyed it; father not charged under relatives exemption

After a high school student was murdered in Gwangju on 5 May 2026, police handed key evidence recovered from the suspect's vehicle and residence to the suspect's father, a serving police inspector, without preserving it, and he destroyed items three days after the killing. A Gwangsan Police Station inspector who led the investigation was arrested on 6 July 2026 on suspicion of evidence destruction, and four officers including the former station chief have been booked.