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By Lee Kyung-min
A Chinese tourist, who stabbed a woman to death in a cathedral on Jeju Island last Saturday, is suspected of giving false statements to police in an attempt to avoid harsh punishment, police said Thursday.
According to Jeju Seobu Police Station, recently secured evidence disproves claims by the man, surnamed Chen, 50, who denied the killing was premeditated.
He said that he stabbed the woman, surnamed Kim, 61, because someone controls him remotely after inserting a microchip inside his head.
Chen, who entered Jeju Island on Sept. 13 on a visa waiver program, bought a knife at a mall two days before the attack and visited the cathedral twice a day before the killing. "This shows he planned the killing," a police officer said. "We suspect he gave such unreasonable statements to face lighter punishment."
Police do not suspect Chen committed the crime due to mental illness, following a criminal profiler interview that concluded he showed only mild symptoms of a mental disorder.
His family in China told police that when Chen was under extreme stress, he occasionally told them that someone put a chip inside his head. But he has never been treated or taken medication for mental problems, according to the family.
"We will further evaluate his mental state after indicting him," the officer said.
Chen was arrested on Sept. 17, seven hours after he fled the scene of the crime, where Kim, who was praying alone in the cathedral at around 8:40 a.m., was stabbed to death. Chen said Kim reminded him of his two ex-wives who cheated on and left him.
Police referred the case to the prosecution.
