A 51-year-old Korean campaigner for human rights in North Korea has been found stabbed to death at his home in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture, police said Tuesday.
Kim Yong Dal, a researcher and lecturer at Kansai University's Institute of Human Rights Studies, was found dead with chest stab wounds Monday evening. The owner of his apartment found him, police said.
Police said they are trying to reach a woman in her 30s who lived with Kim until early this year. Her whereabouts is unknown.
Police believe Kim was killed about two weeks ago. A bloodied kitchen knife was found near his body, and the room was locked. Two used coffee cups were also found in the apartment, indicating Kim may have been slain by someone he knew well enough to serve coffee to, investigators said.
Kim, a native of Aichi Prefecture, was an expert on the history of Korean residents of Japan. He also represented a civic group called Rescue the North Korean People! Urgent Action Network (RENK).
Lee Young Hwa, RENK secretary general and an assistant professor at Kansai University, said: "Mr. Kim was a brilliant, earnest scholar. He was very popular with his RENK friends for his high sense of justice."