Gwangju prosecutors appeal life sentence for high school girl's killer
In short
The Gwangju Public Prosecutors' Office has appealed against the life sentence given to Jang Yun-gi (23) over the rape and murder of a high school girl, saying the sentence was improper and that the first-trial ruling misapplied the law. The Gwangju District Court sentenced him to life imprisonment on 30 September, ordered an electronic location-tracking device and said special circumstances justifying a death sentence could not be established. Jang was convicted of killing the student on 5 May in Gwangju and of trying to kill a male student who ran toward her screams; Hankook Ilbo reported his side had not appealed.
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The Gwangju Public Prosecutors' Office has appealed against the life sentence handed to Jang Yun-gi (23) over the rape and murder of a high school girl, Hankook Ilbo reported. The office said it filed the appeal on 2 October, calling the first-trial sentence improper and saying the ruling contained a misunderstanding of the law, and reported that Jang's side had not appealed. Dong-A Ilbo, citing legal circles on 4 October, reported that the appeal was filed with Gwangju District Court Criminal Division 13, presided over by judge Lee Jeong-ho, on grounds of improper sentencing. [ 1 , 3 ]
The first trial sentenced Jang to life imprisonment on 30 September on charges including rape and murder and attempted murder under the Act on Special Cases concerning the Punishment of Sexual Violence Crimes, and ordered that he wear an electronic location-tracking device, according to Dong-A Ilbo. The court said the motive, method and result of the crime were very grave and that he needed to be permanently isolated from society, but that it could not conclude there were special circumstances that would justify a death sentence. Dong-A Ilbo reported that the judgment stated that only by never allowing parole and thoroughly enforcing the life sentence could the victim be even slightly comforted and similar crimes prevented. [ 1 , 3 ]
According to the indictment, Jang killed high school student Lee Chae-won at about 00:10 on 5 May on a street in Wolgye-dong, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, as she was walking home, and swung a knife at a male high school student who ran over after hearing screams, attempting to kill him. The first-trial court said he chased the girl for the purpose of rape and stabbed her to death when that did not work, that he behaved calmly after the crime, using a laundry room and a hair salon, and that during the investigation and trial he showed an attitude of evading the situation rather than sincerely repenting. [ 1 , 3 ]
Hankook Ilbo reported that the first-trial court found all the charges against Jang guilty but did not accept a cable tie that prosecutors presented as evidence of a kidnapping. The prosecutors' office is expected to focus at the appeal on having the cable tie admitted as evidence and on securing a heavier sentence, the outlet reported, adding that the prosecution had sought the death penalty at the first trial. Jang was also indicted earlier on charges of stalking and sexually assaulting a Vietnamese co-worker at a part-time job and of secretly filming the bodies of teenage women while serving as a social service agent. [ 1 ]
The family of the victim said they could not accept the first-trial ruling, Hankook Ilbo reported, urging that if the death penalty is not imposed he should be kept apart from society forever under a life sentence allowing not a single day of reduction or parole. [ 1 ]
Why it matters
The appeal keeps the case in the courts, where prosecutors are expected to press for the cable tie to be admitted as evidence and for a heavier sentence than the life term imposed at first instance. The first-trial court's conclusion that the death penalty was not justified, together with its finding that parole should never be allowed, is likely to be central to the appellate stage. As a domestic criminal case, its direct relevance to readers outside South Korea is limited.
Key facts
- The Gwangju Public Prosecutors' Office appealed on 2 October against the life sentence given to Jang Yun-gi, 23, citing improper sentencing and a misunderstanding of the law in the first-trial ruling. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Gwangju District Court sentenced Jang to life imprisonment on 30 September for the rape and murder of a high school girl and attempted murder, and ordered an electronic location-tracking device. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The first-trial court said the crime warranted permanent isolation from society but that it could not conclude there were special circumstances justifying a death sentence. [ 1 , 3 ]
- According to the indictment, Jang killed high school student Lee Chae-won at about 00:10 on 5 May on a street in Wolgye-dong, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, and tried to kill a male high school student who intervened. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Hankook Ilbo reported the court did not accept a cable tie that prosecutors presented as kidnapping evidence, and that the prosecution had sought the death penalty at the first trial. [ 1 ]
- Jang had also been indicted on charges of stalking and sexually assaulting a Vietnamese co-worker at a part-time job and of secretly filming teenage women while serving as a social service agent. [ 1 ]
- The victim's family said they could not accept the ruling and called for a life sentence with no possibility of reduction or parole if the death penalty were not imposed. [ 1 ]
- Jang's side had not appealed as of the prosecutors' filing, Hankook Ilbo reported. [ 1 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Jang Yun-gi, 23, was sentenced to life imprisonment in the first trial on 30 September. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The Gwangju Public Prosecutors' Office filed an appeal against the sentence. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The case concerns the killing of a high school girl, and Jang was indicted on charges of rape and murder and attempted murder under the Act on Special Cases concerning the Punishment of Sexual Violence Crimes. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The first-trial court held that the crime was grave and required permanent isolation from society, but that special circumstances justifying a death sentence were not established. [ 1 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the cable tie presented by prosecutors as kidnapping evidence will be admitted at the appeal and how it will affect sentencing. The first-trial court did not accept it, and Hankook Ilbo says only that prosecutors are expected to focus on it; no document reports any appellate ruling.
- Whether Jang's defence team has appealed or will appeal. Hankook Ilbo reported that Jang's side had not appealed as of its report, and no document gives the position afterwards.
- The exact date the appeal was filed. Hankook Ilbo says the appeal was filed on 2 October, while Newsis and Dong-A Ilbo report on 4 October that an appeal had been filed without stating a filing date.
- That the prosecution sought the death penalty at the first trial. This is stated only by Hankook Ilbo; the other documents do not mention it.
- The victim's family's reaction and demands. This is reported only by Hankook Ilbo; the other documents do not carry a family statement.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- On 5 May, Jang Yun-gi attacked and killed high school student Lee Chae-won on a street in Wolgye-dong, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, and swung a weapon at a male high school student who ran toward her screams, according to the indictment. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Gwangju Public Prosecutors' Office files its appeal on 2 October, citing improper sentencing and a legal misunderstanding; Hankook Ilbo reports that Jang's side had not appealed. [ 1 ]
- On 4 October, Dong-A Ilbo reports, citing legal circles, that the appeal was filed with Gwangju District Court Criminal Division 13 on grounds of improper sentencing. [ 3 ]