The personal information of the suspect, Myung Jae-wan (48), accused of murdering 8-year-old Kim Ha-neul, has been made public, leading to the rapid circulation of posts containing his face on social media.

The police have warned that sharing personal information of suspects without caution may lead to legal penalties.

On the 12th, the Daejeon Police Agency officially disclosed Myung Jae-wan's photo, name, age, and other personal details through their official website, as he is charged with violating the Special Act on the Punishment of Specific Crimes.

Previously, the police held a review committee to decide on the disclosure of personal information, which was carried out after Mr. Myung expressed that he had no objections.

Following the official announcement by the police, Myung's past photographs quickly spread across various online platforms, including Instagram. However, this behavior requires caution as it may violate the Information and Communications Network Act.

According to the "Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection," disclosing personal information without consent is a clear illegal act. Violators may face imprisonment of up to five years or fines of up to 50 million KRW.

If the suspect's reputation is harmed, there is also a possibility of incurring charges of defamation, which could result in imprisonment of up to two years or fines of up to 5 million KRW.

Meanwhile, Myung Jae-wan is currently in custody for allegedly luring 8-year-old Kim Ha-neul into an audiovisual room after she finished her after-school program at an elementary school in Daejeon around 5 PM on the 10th of last month and using a weapon to murder her.

Image source: Daejeon Police Agency, a memorial flower bouquet placed at the school Kim Ha-neul attended / News1