The bereaved family appealed to the court to disclose the identity of the defendant who killed a female TikToker in her 20s and abandoned the body.
On the 14th, the 11th criminal division of the Suwon District Court (Presiding Judge Song Byung-hun) held a continued trial for A, a man in his 50s who was detained and indicted on charges including murder, abandoning a body, and obstructing special official duties.
B, the victim's father, when given a chance to speak by the presiding judge, said, "Before my daughter, there was a victim because of the defendant," and added, "There must not be a second or third victim going forward," calling for the disclosure of the defendant's personal information.
B also said, "The murderer brutally killed my daughter, who was in the prime of her life, and abandoned her in a mountainous area in the provinces, yet sent a letter of apology to the court alone, saying there is remorse," and added, "It makes no sense for the defendant to get a reduced sentence with a letter of remorse. The intent to downgrade the charge to bodily injury resulting in death from assault is even more unforgivable."
He added, "The murderer did not kill only my one daughter; the murderer killed all of our family who are here."
A is accused of strangling to death C, a female TikToker in her 20s, on Sept. 11 last year in Yeongjongdo, Incheon, and abandoning the body in a mountain in Muju County, North Jeolla.
After the victim's parents filed a missing person report, police began an investigation and confirmed that the car C had taken moved from Incheon toward Muju. Around 5 a.m. on the 13th of the same month, police found A through a checkpoint at a spot 50–100 meters from where the body was abandoned.
Around May last year, A approached C and said, "I know the TikTok market well. I will help you increase subscribers," proposing a partnership and investment.
After establishing a TikTok business, disagreements over channel operations led to conflict, and while filming a video, an argument escalated, and the crime was committed for the reason of "being angry," according to reports.
The next hearing will be held at 10 a.m. on Feb. 12.