[Anchor]

Jang Yoon-gi, who is accused of kidnapping and murdering a high school girl he had never met in Gwangju last May with the intent of sexual assault, is currently on trial. However, our investigation has revealed that key evidence proving Jang's sexual assault charges was destroyed by his father, who is a serving police officer. It has been determined that this evidence tampering was possible because the police initially overlooked the evidence right in front of them.

Shin Yong-il reports exclusively.

[Reporter]

In the early hours of May 5, 23-year-old Jang Yoon-gi kidnapped a high school student named Lee Chae-won, whom he had never met before, in downtown Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, and brutally murdered her with a weapon.

Jang, who was arrested 11 hours after the crime, claimed it was an impulsive act. The police referred the case to the prosecution on charges including murder, but did not include sexual assault charges.

However, it has been confirmed that the police missed key evidence that could have proven the motive of sexual assault during their initial investigation.

While searching Jang's residence, the police identified several damaged real dolls but failed to secure them. It was found that shortly thereafter, Jang's father dismantled the dolls and disposed of them in various locations across Gwangju.

The father, who our investigation confirmed is a mid-ranking police officer serving in the Gwangju area, was also found to have burned a mobile phone previously used by Jang Yoon-gi after the incident occurred.

Furthermore, the police failed to secure the SD card from the dashcam in Jang's vehicle. However, the prosecution later discovered the SD card during an additional search, which contained a recording of Jang telling an acquaintance, "I only feel sorry for the woman who appears in front of me."

Through interviews with acquaintances, the prosecution also secured testimony stating, "Jang said that if his life were ruined, he would kidnap a high school girl in a van."

Based on these investigations, the prosecution concluded that Jang's murder was motivated by sexual assault. Last month, they indicted him on charges including rape and murder.

Regarding the actions of Jang's father, while current law does not allow for the punishment of family members for destroying evidence, experts suggest that other charges could potentially be applied.

[Choi Yong-moon / Lawyer (Director of the Administrative Watch Center at People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy): It is worth reviewing whether this could constitute obstruction of official duties, as he interfered with the police's original investigation.]

It is reported that during the prosecution's investigation, Jang's father stated, "I was worried that my son's crime would be linked to sexual matters."

(Video Editing: Shin Se-eun, Design: Kim Min-young)

---

[Anchor]

We will ask Shin Yong-il from our legal team, who covered this case, for more details.

Q. Regarding the evidence tampering by the police officer father, what is the police's explanation?

[Reporter Shin Yong-il: The police explained to our team that although they discovered the real dolls at Jang Yoon-gi's residence, they did not seize them because they did not see a direct connection to the crime. However, the prosecution determined that Jang Yoon-gi had a sexual motive based on the fact that the chests and necks of the real dolls were severely damaged by what appeared to be a weapon, as well as conversations with acquaintances regarding the crime. Since Jang's father, a serving police officer, admitted to destroying the evidence out of concern that his son would be linked to a sex crime, the police investigation team's explanation lacks credibility. Additionally, our investigation confirmed that the prosecution found the dashcam SD card in the trunk of the same vehicle that the police failed to find. It appears difficult for the police to avoid criticism that their initial investigation was highly inadequate, which prevented them from properly applying the correct charges against Jang Yoon-gi.]

Q. With the addition of sexual assault charges, has the punishment become stricter?

[Reporter Shin Yong-il: While it is still murder, the minimum statutory penalty changes depending on the motive. In the case of the general murder charge initially applied by the police, while a maximum sentence of death or life imprisonment is possible, the legal minimum sentence is 5 years in prison. However, for the charge of rape and murder, to which the prosecution has added sexual assault, the minimum sentence is life imprisonment. If the court finds him guilty, the only statutory penalties available for Jang Yoon-gi are life imprisonment or the death penalty.]

Q. What about the police investigation into Jang Yoon-gi's father for 'evidence tampering'?

[Reporter Shin Yong-il: We looked into this. To our knowledge, there has been no separate investigation or internal audit by the police. As mentioned in the report, since current law does not allow for the punishment of family members for destroying evidence, the prosecution did not book the father as a suspect and only questioned him as a witness. However, there is criticism that because a serving police officer destroyed evidence for a police investigation, the appropriateness of his actions should be examined through internal audits.]

(Video Editing: Yoon Tae-ho, Design: Kim Min-young)