홍콩 리츠칼튼의 비극

홍콩여행중 최고급 호텔 리츠칼튼에서 아내와 아들을 살해한 혐의로 체포된 한국인 사업가 김민호씨(42)가 16일 오전 구치소 안에서 목을 매 숨졌다.
​사우스차이나모닝포스트(SCMP) 등에 따르면 홍콩 라이치콕 구치소에 수감돼 있던 용의자 김씨는 16일 오전 8시 53분경 구치소 내 독방에서 침대시트에 목을 맨 채로 발견됐다.
발견 당시 혼수상태였던 김씨는 급히 인근 병원으로 이송됐으나, 결국 이날 오전 사망했다.

홍콩 웨스트 카오룽 지역의 5성급 호텔인 리츠칼튼 호텔에 투숙했던 김씨는 ​지난 1월 14일 오전 7시 한국에 있는 친구에게 전화해 ​"사업에 실패해 막다른 지경에 몰렸다"며 그의 가족이 자살하려고 한다고 알렸다.
이에 한국에 있던 친구가 급히 경찰에 알렸고, 경찰은 다시 주홍콩 한국총영사관에 연락했다. 홍콩 경찰이 출동했을 때 그의 아내 송하정(42)씨와 여섯 살 아들은 흉기에 찔려 숨진 채 발견됐다. 현장에는 길이 13㎝ 흉기가 있었다.

김씨는 사건 당일 호텔 내 술집에서 새벽 1시까지 술을 마신 뒤 방으로 돌아왔으며, 현장에서 유력한 용의자로 체포됐다. 그는 사망 전 경찰 심문과 재판 과정에서 “만취 상태여서 범행 사실이 기억나지 않는다”고 진술한 것으로 전해졌다.

록키 마운틴 초콜릿 팩토리의 한국지사장인 김민호씨는 2013년 한국에 진출한 이후 2년간 서울 홍대, 가로수길, 삼성동, 대학로, 광화문, 종로, 부산광안리 등 핵심 상권에 18개의 점포를 운영하는 등 급격히 사업을 확장했으나 최근 사업부진으로 직원들의 임금체불과 심지어 매장 전기료도 미납되어 대부분의 점포가 단전이 된 상황이었던 것으로 조사됐다

A South Korean businessman accused of murdering his wife and six-year-old son at a luxury Hong Kong hotel in January has died in a suspected suicide at the city’s maximum-security prison.

Kim Min-ho was found unconscious by a prison guard at about 7am on Monday inside a single-person cell at Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre in Cheung Sha Wan.

“A bed sheet was found around his neck,” a government source said.


Beside Kim was a note thanking and saying goodbye to his friends, the source added.

The 42-year-old was taken unconscious to nearby Caritas Medical Centre where he was declared dead about an hour later.
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Emergency personnel rushed to The Ritz-Carlton hotel on January 14 after receiving a report from hotel staff.

Kim, the chief executive officer of Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory in South Korea, was accused of murdering his wife, Song Wha-jeong, 42, and son, Kim Tae-yun, on January 14.

Emergency personnel rushed to The Ritz-Carlton hotel – inside the tallest building in Hong Kong, the International Commerce Centre – at about 8.30am that day after receiving a report from hotel staff.
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Kim, the chief executive officer of Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory in South Korea, was accused of murdering his wife, Song Wha-jeong, 42, and son, Kim Tae-yun, on January 14.

Song and her son were found in bed unconscious inside a luxury suite and were later certified dead by paramedics at the scene. Kim had minor injuries and received treatment at Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

The case came to light after Kim called a friend in South Korea saying he had failed in business and was about to commit suicide with his family. The friend then alerted South Korean police, who notified the country’s consulate in Hong Kong.

Ritz-Carlton murder suspect tells Hong Kong police he was too drunk to recall what happened

The family had come to the city for a holiday on January 6 and visited Macau before returning to Hong Kong and checking into the hotel on January 10.

When he made his first court appearance on January 16, Kim, who appeared slightly dishevelled, confirmed he understood two charges of murder against him during a hearing that lasted just seven minutes. He was remanded at Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre pending his next court date on May 23.