Prosecutors sought the death penalty, the maximum sentence allowed by law, for Jang Yoon-gi, 23, who was indicted and detained on charges including murdering a high school girl for sexual crime purposes.
According to legal sources, at the sentencing hearing for Jang Yoon-gi held before the Gwangju District Court Criminal Division 13 (Presiding Judge Lee Jeong-ho, senior judge), prosecutors asked the court to impose the death penalty.
Prosecutors said, "The defendant targeted an unspecified minor, meticulously prepared the crime in advance, and not only took the life of a young victim in a brutal manner but also seriously injured a male student who tried to help," adding, "The social repercussions are very great, and the nature of the crime is extremely bad, so there is a need for permanent isolation from society."
The family of the victim, the late Lee Chae-won, also pleaded with the court for a heavy sentence. Lee's parents said, "An innocent child was mercilessly sacrificed, yet the defendant continues to make excuses and has shown no remorse," adding, "The prosecution's request for the death penalty is a natural result, and the court must also impose the death penalty to uphold the severity of the law and set justice right."
In his final statement, Jang Yoon-gi said, "I am sorry to the victim and will carry the weight of my crime for the rest of my life."
Jang Yoon-gi is accused of murdering Lee, a 16-year-old high school girl, for sexual crime purposes on May 5 at about 12:10 a.m. on a walkway in Wolgye-dong, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju. He is also accused of wielding a weapon at a 17-year-old male student who rushed over after hearing the girl's screams.
Prosecutors also charged Jang Yoon-gi with sexually assaulting a Vietnamese woman in her 20s who had been a part-time coworker two days before he killed the high school girl and, while serving as a social service worker, illegally filming the body of a female minor, among other offenses.