There are new clues to the case of a Chinese female student in South Korea who was murdered.
On September 2nd, Korean MBC TV exclusively revealed that Zheng Changcheng, a 31-year-old Chinese lecturer suspected of killing a Chinese female international student, had previously used his position as a professor at a university to repeatedly approach another Chinese female international student. After being rejected in his attempts to develop a relationship with her, he pressured her by claiming that he could cause her to delay or even prevent her from graduating. As early as 2023, several Chinese female international students reported Zheng Changcheng's behavior to the university authorities, but the university only issued verbal warnings at that time.
Currently, the police are investigating whether there are any other victims at this school.
According to MBC reports, Zheng Changcheng has been teaching courses in anatomy and rehabilitation therapy at a university in Gyeongsan North Province, South Korea since 2023. The Chinese female student who was murdered also took his courses.
However, an investigation by MBC found that Zheng Changcheng had been complained about for inappropriate approaches towards Chinese female students during his first year of teaching.
In September 2023, Zheng Changcheng began to approach a Chinese female international student who was pursuing her master's degree in the same field. Less than a week after meeting, he expressed his feelings of liking her and asked to be her boyfriend.
After being rejected, Zheng Changcheng did not stop contacting the person. Instead, he continued to approach the person repeatedly by saying things like “come out for a meal” and “bringing you a gift”.
After being rejected several times for the above requirements, his language became even more aggressive. According to reports, Zheng Changcheng then passed on messages to this female student through another international student, claiming that he ‘could delay her graduation, or even prevent her from graduating at all.’
This international student also revealed to MBC that Zheng Changcheng once said to her, “If you have any questions about writing a thesis, come to my house.”
Since Zheng Changcheng was a university lecturer at that time, the pressure he exerted on relevant international students went beyond just ordinary interpersonal conflicts.
In October 2023, several Chinese female international students, including this girl, reported Zheng Changcheng to the school's international affairs department.
A school official confirmed to MBC that there was indeed a conflict between the two parties. Subsequently, around October of that year, the school gave a verbal warning to Zheng Changcheng, the professor who guided him. According to the information available at the time, no other significant issues arose thereafter.
Despite warnings from school authorities, Zheng Changcheng did not immediately cease related behavior after being exposed by MBC's disclosed chat records.
Reports say that he also sent messages to international students, saying: “If you stay with me, the professor will take better care of you.”
According to Professor Hsu Chung-han of the Department of Psychology at Lingnan University, who was interviewed by MBC, this behavior is characterized by typical stalking and harassment. The perpetrator takes advantage of their advantageous position to influence and control the victim.
This has also drawn new attention from the outside world. After Zheng Changcheng was reported at school previously, has the school fully evaluated the relevant risks, and are there any more victims that have not been discovered?
Currently, the South Korean police are investigating whether there are any other victims on campus.
MBC's revelation indicates that the investigation into the murder of this Chinese female student is expanding from the crime itself to consider the relationships and past behaviors of the suspect during his time as a professor at the university. It is particularly noteworthy that nearly three years before the incident, Zheng Changcheng had already been reported by several Chinese female students for similar behavior, and the university's response at that time was only an oral warning.
As the police continue to investigate his contacts and related records during his time at school, whether Zheng Changcheng also used his identity as a teacher to pressure other international students, and whether there were any oversights in the school's handling of the matter, are expected to become important aspects of the subsequent investigation of the case.
