A South Korean man was arrested on suspicion of murdering his wife and six-year-old son at a five-star hotel in Hong Kong on Sunday morning.

The case came to light after the man called a friend in South Korea at about 7am, claiming that he and his family were about to commit suicide. His friend alerted South Korean police, who notified the country’s consulate in Hong Kong.

According to sources, the couple had been engaged in a dispute at the time.

Police officers rushed to The Ritz-Carlton hotel at the International Commerce Centre in West Kowloon, where the family was staying.

The man was found sitting in a suite on the 109th floor, dressed in his underpants and in a semi-conscious state. A police source said: “His wife and son were found dead in the bedroom with slash wounds on their necks.” Officers also found a 13cm ceramic knife at the scene.

The source said the man appeared confused and could not answer questions properly. “We are unclear at the moment whether he was drunk or on drugs, or whether his wife and son were already dead by the time he called the friend.”

The man was arrested on suspicion of murder and sent to Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

The police source said the South Korean family arrived in Hong Kong on January 6 and went to Macau before returning and checking into the hotel on Wednesday.

Police were liaising with related authorities to confirm details of their Macau trip, as well as other places the family might have visited since they first entered Hong Kong.

“Our thoughts are with the family of the guests involved at this very difficult time … We are cooperating with police who are continuing the investigation at the hotel,” a Ritz-Carlton spokeswoman said.

“The safety and security of our guests are always our top priority … We will not be commenting further [to respect the privacy of our guests].”

The hotel, one of the top luxury lodging establishments in the city, occupies the top floors of the 490-metre-high ICC building, overlooking Victoria Harbour. It has 312 guest rooms.

The Post has contacted the South Korean consulate for comment.

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