KEY POINTS:
Police say they have exhumed a body believed to be that of slain Korean tourist Jae Hyeon Kim from a watery grave beside the Four Mile River, south of Charleston.
The 25-year-old disappeared in October 2003 while hitchhiking down the West Coast.
Detective Inspector John Winter told The Press that police had located the body they were seeking. While it had not been confirmed by a coroner, there was every reason to believe it was Mr Kim, he said.
A 31-year-old former Westport man has admitted the murder but his co-accused, Shannon Brent Flewellen, 29, a Nelson fisherman, denies it.
About 10 police officers, equipped with water pumps, braved torrential rain this morning to keep vigil over what is thought to be Mr Kim's grave.
A depositions hearing into the role of three men believed responsible for Mr Kim's death was held in Greymouth this week.
One man, who has a blanket suppression order including the nature of the charge he faces, has denied the charge and has been remanded to appear in the High Court at Christchurch on November 21 for a pre-trial conference.
The second of the trio, a 31-year-old man, whose name is suppressed, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to murdering 25-year-old Mr Kim at Charleston, near Westport, in September or October 2003.
He was committed for sentence in the High Court at Wellington on December 6.
Nelson fisherman Shannon Brent Flewellen was yesterday committed for trial for Mr Kim's murder.
He entered a not guilty plea as he was remanded in custody for trial in the High Court at Christchurch.
Mr Winter refused to say how police had obtained new information on where to search for Mr Kim's body, but said it was a "reasonably tight, definite area we are looking at".
So specific was the latest information that there was no intention to bring in earthmoving or radar equipment, as was used in the last search.
About eight police and forensic experts were involved, including a forensic pathologist.
Mr Winter said police did not know how deeply a body might be buried.
Finding Mr Kim's body would strengthen the prosecution case against Flewellen, as police currently lacked the forensic evidence they would get from the corpse, and the vehicle the defendants travelled in had been destroyed.
- NZPA
