Jang Yoonki's First Trial on Gwangju High School Girl Murder Set for 22nd...Rape and Murder Charges at Issue

Prosecutors Determine "Attempted Kidnapping for Sexual Assault"

Women's Groups Plan Press Conference in Front of Court Demanding Severe Punishment

The first trial of Jang Yoonki (23), who was indicted and detained on charges of murdering a high school girl he had never met before in Gwangju using a weapon, will be held on the 22nd. Prosecutors have charged Jang Yoonki with rape and murder, which carries a heavier sentence than ordinary murder.

According to the legal community on June 20, the 13th Criminal Division of the Gwangju District Court (Presiding Judge Lee Joungho) will hold the first hearing for Jang Yoonki, who has been indicted for violating the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes (rape and murder, etc.), at 10 a.m. on the 22nd.

Murderer of High School Girl Jang Yoon-ki Transferred to Prosecutor's Office. Yonhap News

Jang Yoonki is accused of attempting to kidnap Lee Chaewon (17), a second-year high school student, for the purpose of sexual assault at around 12:10 a.m. on May 5 on a walkway in Wolgye-dong, Gwangsan District, Gwangju. When the kidnapping failed, he allegedly killed her with a weapon.

The indictment also includes charges that he wielded a weapon at a male high school student who tried to help the victim at the crime scene, as well as stalking and sexually assaulting a Vietnamese woman in her 20s who was his part-time coworker.

During the investigation, Jang Yoonki reportedly stated that he committed the crime impulsively while contemplating suicide.

However, prosecutors charged him with rape and murder, stating that Jang Yoonki subdued the victim from behind with the intention of dragging her toward his vehicle, and that the circumstances and methods were similar to the sexual assault case involving Ms. A, leading them to apply the charge of rape and murder.

The statutory punishment for rape and murder is either the death penalty or life imprisonment.

Jang Yoonki has appointed a private attorney specializing in criminal cases, but he has not submitted a letter of remorse to the court as of yet.

On the morning of the 7th of last month, a citizen laid chrysanthemum flowers at the scene of the incident in Wolgye-dong, Gwangsan District, Gwangju, paying tribute to the high school girl who lost her life. Photo by Bohyun Song

The 49th day memorial service for the victim, Ms. Lee, will be held at 5 p.m. on the 21st at the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education Citizen Cooperation Promotion Center.

Civic groups, including the Gwangju Jeonnam Women’s Association, plan to hold a press conference in front of the main gate of the Gwangju District Court on the morning of the 22nd, the day of the first trial, to call for severe punishment.

Meanwhile, considering the public's right to know and the seriousness of the crime, the police have disclosed Jang Yoonki’s identity. According to a police psychopathy assessment, he was found not to correspond to the criteria for antisocial personality disorder (psychopathy).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.