Prosectors Seek Death Penalty for Jang Yoon-gi in High School Girl Murder Case

Prosecutors have demanded the death penalty for 23-year-old Jang Yoon-gi, who murdered a high school girl with the intent to commit a sexual crime.

During the fourth hearing for the case—charged under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment, etc. of Sexual Crimes (murder committed during a rape)—held before Panel Division 13 of the Gwangju District Court (Presiding Judge Lee Jung-ho) on August 31 of last year, the Gwangju District Prosecutors Office asked the court to "impose the maximum penalty on the defendant (Jang Yoon-gi)."

The prosecution explained the reasoning behind the sentencing demand, stating, "Although he scored below the threshold on the psychopathic checklist test, his high emotional risk and callous reactions indicate a high risk of reoffending with murder and sexual assault if he returns to society."

The prosecution's sentencing arguments highlighted the risks and severity of the crimes, detailing Jang's movements after he murdered a high school student surnamed Lee (then a high school sophomore) whom he did not know, and subsequently sought out a 26-year-old Vietnamese female coworker—who had been the target of his stalking.

In addition, his past conduct exposing a distorted view of sexuality, such as circumstances surrounding the purchase of sex involving minors, was revealed in court for the first time.

In his final statement, Jang said, "I apologize to the victim and the bereaved family. I believe no words can reach them. I have left an indelible wound on a family."

He added, "I am deeply sorry to the victim and will bear the responsibility for my sins for the rest of my life. Once again, I apologize to the bereaved family and those around us. I am sorry."

Among the various charges against Jang, the charge of rape and murder is punishable only by the death penalty or life imprisonment.

Prior to the closing arguments, an interrogation of the defendant, Jang, took place during the hearing.

The session was held behind closed doors to protect the privacy of the victim.

The prosecution focused its questioning on interrogation protocols documenting how Jang had denied the charges and changed his statements during the investigation.

Typically, denying charges and changing statements are regarded as a "lack of remorse," which negatively impacts sentencing decisions.

The prosecution's request to amend the indictment was accepted, and a search and seizure warrant was also issued by the court ex officio.

The amended indictment reflected the fact that Jang had left the rear door of his vehicle wide open at the time of the crime.

The evidence secured through the search and seizure warrant consisted of a bundle of 25 cable ties, measuring 40 cm in length and 4.5 cm in width, found inside Jang's car.

While acknowledging the existence of the cable ties, Jang's legal representation denied any connection to the crime, claiming they were "purchased together when buying a computer in the past."

The sentencing hearing is scheduled to be held at 2:00 PM on September 30.

Prior to the hearing, the bereaved family of the victim, Lee, submitted a petition for a severe punishment carrying the signatures of some 50,000 citizens to the court, and held a one-person protest urging the court to hand down the maximum legal sentence for Jang.

The legal representative for the bereaved family explained the intent of the petition, stating, "The victim's bereaved family, those around them, and furthermore society as a whole are suffering. Considering the social ripple effect, please impose a severe punishment on the defendant."

Jang was indicted and detained on charges of attempting to commit a sexual crime on a secluded pedestrian walkway in Wolgye-dong, Gsan-gu, Gwangju, at 10 minutes past midnight on May 5, murdering the victim, Lee, and wielding a weapon against a high school student who rushed over after hearing screams.

The criminal charges also included multiple sexual offenses, such as sexually assaulting an acquaintance from his part-time job two days prior to the crime and secretly filming underage females while serving as a public service worker.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.