Park Dae-seong (31), who murdered a teenage woman he had no prior acquaintance with, received a ruling in the appeals court that he must be permanently isolated from society, following his first trial.
The Gwangju High Court's Criminal Division 1 (Judge Kim Jin-hwa) sentenced Park Dae-seong to life imprisonment, the same as the original ruling, on charges including murder on the 1st.
The court stated, "This falls under the extreme disregard for human life characterized by 'random killings.' Unfortunately, violent crimes are occurring nationwide, but there seem to be none that have sparked public outrage like this incident."
Regarding the reason for rejecting the prosecution's request for the death penalty, the court noted, "The cases that have previously received the death penalty involved multiple deceased victims and were meticulously planned crimes or combined with serious offenses such as robbery. This case appears to lack meticulous planning."
The court added, "Considering that imprisonment for life can be subject to parole, it seems feasible to achieve the purpose and effect of life imprisonment, which is to permanently isolate criminals from society and deprive them of their freedom, by strictly reviewing and limiting the possibility of parole."
The court also disclosed some contents of the remorse letter submitted by Park Dae-seong. In the letter, Park wrote, "I wonder how much pain and suffering the victim, who was stabbed with a weapon, endured at such a young age. As I think of that, overwhelming regret rushes over me. Although it is very late, I am still deeply remorseful. I sincerely apologize for leaving painful memories and scars for the victim and the bereaved family."
On that day, Park Dae-seong attended the court in a brown prison outfit, constantly keeping his head down. Family members of the victim, who were seated in the audience, erupted in anger upon seeing Park enter the courtroom, with some unable to bear the verdict and leaving with assistance.
Park Dae-seong was charged with fatally stabbing an 18-year-old female passerby multiple times with a weapon without any particular reason on the street in Jocheong-dong, Suncheon, Jeollanam-do, around 12:44 a.m. on September 26 last year. His charges also include attempting additional murder crimes while carrying the weapon immediately after the act, visiting a tavern and a karaoke bar run by the owner.
Park Dae-seong was investigated for committing the so-called 'random killing' as a release of personal grievances resulting from economic hardship, family discord, and accumulated feelings of alienation. The police had previously released his personal information and mugshot due to the brutality of the act, the public's right to know, and the serious harm caused.