Kim So-young, 20, the suspect in the "Gangbuk motel serial killing case" accused of murdering two people with drug-laced drinks, filed a statement with the court saying she cannot afford the compensation after being sued for damages by the victims' families.
According to materials obtained by attorney Nam Eon-ho, the legal representative for the victims' families, on the 14th, Kim wrote in a handwritten reply to the court in May that "if a 12% default interest is added, it becomes a very large amount that I cannot pay at all, so it is a burden."
The victims' families have filed a civil lawsuit seeking a total of 30 million won in damages from Kim and Kim's parents.
In the reply, Kim argued that it is unfair to hold the parents liable for compensation because Kim was an adult at the time of the crime. Kim said, "My mother fully fulfilled her duties of care and supervision as a person with a duty of support, so a claim for damages should not be filed," while asserting regarding the father that "since my minor years, (I was) neglected and suffered mental harm due to domestic violence and verbal abuse," and claimed that only Kim and the father bear civil liability.
Kim added, "The plaintiffs should bear the litigation expense. The amount the plaintiffs have claimed is such a large sum that I could never pay it even if I worked until I die," and said, "Please claim only an amount that I can earn and repay over my lifetime."
Kim also submitted a statement in the ongoing criminal trial on charges of causing the victims to die or be injured, claiming unfairness. Kim said, "At the time of my arrest, I was extremely shocked when told the two oppas (the victims) had died," and said, "I had no intention or plan to kill."
However, Kim was found to have doubled the amount of drugs given to other victims after seeing the first victim lose consciousness from the drugs Kim provided.
In the statement, Kim said about this, "I don't remember exactly whether the (drink-mixed) pills were twice as many, and it seems it was a little more than the amount of three pills."
Kim also wrote, "I was subjected to nonconsensual physical contact by the victims, which brought back memories of a past attempted rape and made me afraid," and "I deeply regret the short-sighted decision to hand over drugs to stop the sexual harassment."
From mid-December last year to February this year, Kim was indicted and detained in March on charges of giving benzodiazepine-laced drinks to three men in their 20s, killing two and causing one to lose consciousness. In April, Kim was additionally indicted on charges of injuring three other men using a similar method.
The next trial for Kim is set for the 23rd.