Unanswered Questions aired a segment on the Gangbuk motel serial murder case and disclosed what it said were the combination of drugs presumed to have been used by suspect Kim So-young, and as concerns about copycat crimes continued, the production team spoke out.
On the 25th, the production team of SBS current affairs program Unanswered Questions said in an official statement, "The partial exposure of drug images in this broadcast was not intended to provide information about specific drugs, but to reveal the factual truth of how even ordinary prescription drugs commonly encountered in our daily lives can become a terrifying weapon when abused to a 'lethal dose level' by criminals, focusing on that reality."
Earlier, the Unanswered Questions episode that aired on the 21st spotlighted the Gangbuk motel serial murder case and disclosed the combination of drug-laced drinks that suspect Kim So-young is presumed to have given to victims.
However, in the process the images of the drugs and their ingredients were revealed as is, and immediately after the broadcast specific manufacturers and drug names were shared through online communities and social media.
Some netizens even posted reviews of the drug recipe, and voices emerged saying, "Is it right to disclose this as is?", "The risk of copycat crimes is high," and "There was no need to disclose photos or types of specific drugs."
The production team said there was intent in disclosing the drugs, noting, "One cold medicine tablet is a remedy, but taking dozens with alcohol can become a life-threatening poison. The drugs featured in the broadcast are prescription medications legitimately used in psychiatry, but the emphasis should be on the 'brutality' that a criminal maliciously administered them in large quantities."
They added, "Expressions suggesting that simply a certain combination of drugs (a recipe) makes murder possible can instill unnecessary fear in the public. To prevent such misunderstandings, the production team thoroughly withheld the names of specific drugs that could raise concerns about copycat crimes or misuse."
Meanwhile, suspect Kim So-young in the "Gangbuk motel serial murder case" was indicted without detention on charges that from mid-December last year to the 9th of last month she gave drinks containing benzodiazepine-class drugs to three men in their 20s, causing them to lose consciousness or die.
The police also confirmed that she committed drugged-drink crimes against three more men. However, Kim So-young currently denies the charges.
[Photo] SBS Unanswered Questions capture
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