The defendant in the so-called "Gangbuk motel serial murder case," Kim So-young, 20, who is accused of killing two men with drug-laced drinks, was reported to have made remarks in court that appeared to again deny the charges.
The Seoul Northern District Court Criminal Division 14 (Chief Judge Oh Byung-hee) held the second trial for Kim, who was indicted on charges including murder, on the 7th.
The examination of witnesses that day was held behind closed doors, but attorney Nam Eon-ho, who represents the victims, posted about the questioning on social media (SNS) after the hearing.
According to Nam, when the court asked Kim if there were any questions for the victim who appeared as a witness, Kim answered that Kim wanted to ask whether the victim had ever made nonconsensual physical contact with Kim in the past.
Nam said, "It seemed Kim wanted to claim there was a memory of unwanted skinship from the male victim and that the drugged drink was handed over to protect Kim from that."
Victim A, who appeared for the examination of witnesses that day, was reported to have testified, "I took a sip of the vitamin drink handed over by Kim So-young and, finding it bitter, refused to drink it, but Kim So-young forced me to finish it, saying to 'one-shot' it."
After concluding the examination of witnesses, the court played closed-circuit (CC)TV footage in the courtroom for evidence review. The video showed a man who appeared to be semi-conscious and Kim boarding an elevator at a cafe in Namyangju.
Meanwhile, Kim was arrested and indicted on Mar. 10 on charges of handing drug-laced drinks to three men in their 20s from mid-Dec. last year to Feb. 9 this year, rendering them unconscious or causing their deaths.
Prosecutors concluded that Kim So-young used men to satisfy consumption desires and economic gratification, and then handed over drug-laced drinks to avoid conflicts or subdue the victims.
Kim was additionally indicted on charges of injuring three other men using a similar method.
The court plans to decide at the next date whether to consolidate the two cases for a joint trial. The next hearing is on Jun. 11.