A Studio Apartment Strikingly Bare Without 'This'... Jang Yoon-gi's Unusual Living Space

Not a Single Electronic Device Like a Tablet PC Found
Only a Real Doll with Damaged Neck and Chest Left in the Apartment

The studio apartment of Jang Yoon-gi (23), who was indicted for murdering a high school student he had no prior acquaintance with during an attempted abduction for the purpose of sexual assault, was found to be notably different from that of other young men his age.

Jang Yoon-gi (23), accused of murder and attempted murder, is standing at the photo line at Gwangju Seobu Police Station before being sent to the prosecution. Photo by Yonhap News.

According to Yonhap News Agency on July 4, police who urgently arrested Jang Yoon-gi on the day of the incident found his residence so empty that it felt "bare." Not a single electronic device such as a laptop or tablet PC, items typically found in the apartment of a man in his early twenties, was present. Instead, it was reported that a life-size adult doll (real doll) with neck and chest areas damaged was the only thing left in Jang's studio apartment.

The police requested a forensic examination of the real doll from the National Forensic Service and intensively questioned Jang Yoon-gi regarding the motive for his crime and whether it was a copycat crime. However, Jang reportedly continued to claim it was a "spur-of-the-moment crime" and repeatedly exercised his right to remain silent.

The police also failed to secure any clues other than the victim's bloodstains from the sport utility vehicle (SUV) that Jang Yoon-gi used to follow and escape after murdering the 16-year-old high school student. As a result, the police proceeded with their follow-up investigation without preserving Jang's studio apartment and vehicle, ultimately leading to controversy over the disappearance of the real doll and other evidence.

A detective from the investigation team reportedly facilitated a phone call between Jang Yoon-gi, who was in custody, and his father, who is an active police officer. During the call, Jang gave his father the front door password to the studio apartment. Using this information, Jang's father is said to have entered the apartment and disposed of the real doll and mobile phone that had not been seized during the search.

A police official explained, "At the time, the investigation was focused on uncovering Jang Yoon-gi's true motive for the crime. The apartment was nearly devoid of belongings, and we judged that our objective of securing evidence had been met through video records of the damaged real doll and DNA analysis."

After it became known that Jang Yoon-gi's father, an active police officer, had disposed of items in his son's apartment, controversy over an "inadequate investigation" arose. In response, the National Police Agency is conducting a direct internal audit of the Gwangsan Police Station in Gwangju, which was in charge of the case.

At the first trial held on June 22, Jang Yoon-gi admitted to all charges except intent to commit a sex crime. The next hearing in Jang's case is scheduled for July 13.

Meanwhile, regarding Jang Yoon-gi's crime, criminal psychologist Park Jisun said on SBS's "Unanswered Questions," "Because he was unable to find his original target (the woman Jang claimed as his girlfriend), he found someone else to substitute and committed murder. His original goal was to pursue the original target to the end and kill her to achieve his purpose."

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