Wanted man turns himself in, two days after hostage situation

A man on the run from the law turned himself in to police two days after he fled officers while shielding himself with a female hostage, who turned out to be his romantic partner.

Changwon District Prosecutors' Office said Monday that the suspect in his 50s had turned himself in at around 11:05 p.m. the night before, after police contacted him and persuaded him to do so. He had been on the run since April, when he was supposed to return to prison after being temporarily released for medical treatment.

The suspect had been detained while being tried for series of allegations including fraud, false accusation and violation of the Act on Electronic Monitoring.

Police tracked the suspect down to a motel in Sangnam-dong, Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, and went to apprehend him at 8:37 p.m. on Friday. But the man held a knife to the woman with him and threatened to hurt her.

The girlfriend returned to the motel the next morning to collect bags she had left behind and was taken in by police for questioning. Officials are to conduct an investigation to determine whether or not she helped the fugitive during his run from the law.

Regarding the recent hostage situation, the suspect faces investigation for potential special obstruction of public duty, which refers to the obstruction of public duty via collective force or with a weapon.