What happened
Yoo Young-chul murdered wealthy older people and later women in Seoul during 2003 and 2004, becoming one of South Korea’s most notorious serial killers.
The investigation
Police connected separate crime patterns after Yoo was detained during an investigation involving missing women. His statements and recovered evidence expanded the known scope of the case.
What the courts or investigators concluded
He was convicted of 20 murders and sentenced to death. South Korea has maintained a long-standing moratorium on executions, so the sentence has not been carried out.
Why the case remains significant
The case remains prominent in Korean true-crime coverage because of the abrupt change in victim profile and questions about missed opportunities to stop the killings earlier.
Case context
Crime by Region organizes cases geographically so readers can move from one file to other investigations from the same country. For unresolved or contested cases, the wording above reflects the distinction between confirmed events, investigative theories and findings actually established in court.