The Court: “Crime was too swiftly executed to be unplanned, not a spontaneous crime.”
In May, Park Hak-sun, who murdered his girlfriend and her daughter at an officetel in Gangnam, Seoul, was sentenced to life imprisonment in the first trial.
On the morning of the 1st, Seoul Central District Court’s Criminal Division 23 (Presiding Judge Oh Se-yong) sentenced Park Hak-sun, who was indicted on charges of murder, to life in prison. The prosecution had sought the death penalty during the final trial.
The court stated, “The violence in the relationship was prolonged and repeated, and this incident can be seen as its most extreme manifestation. The defendant should be permanently isolated from society and spend the rest of his life in prison, repenting for his wrongdoings and atoning to the victims.”
On May 30, after being notified of a breakup by his girlfriend, a woman in her 60s referred to as Ms. A, Park brutally killed her and her daughter, Ms. B. Harboring resentment against Ms. B for opposing the relationship, he killed her first and then, as Ms. A attempted to flee and call the police, chased her down and killed her as well. During his escape, he hid a weapon and Ms. A’s cellphone, destroying evidence, and was apprehended by police approximately 13 hours later.
The police investigation revealed that Park Hak-sun prepared the murder tools in advance and was focused on destruction of evidence. His indiscriminate use of a weapon was captured clearly on CCTV. It was reported that it took only about 13 seconds for him to commit the murder upon meeting Ms. A. Investigators concluded that Park had premeditated the murder.
However, Park claimed in court that the act was spontaneous, saying, “It happened during a scuffle.” This was interpreted as a strategy to avoid admitting to a premeditated crime, which would be detrimental to his sentencing.
The court rejected Park’s defense, stating, “The defendant meticulously prepared for the crime, such as taking the victim’s phone and locking the door, and the speed of the crime was impossible without prior planning.”
The family members, including C, who first witnessed the crime scene, watched the sentencing in silence. They wept when the court mentioned the immense psychological impact of losing two family members at once.
After the sentencing, family member C told reporters, “While it’s a relief that the claim of a spontaneous crime wasn’t accepted, it’s frustrating that a life sentence was given despite two deaths. I hope the appeal results in a death sentence.”
Park expressed his intention to donate all his remaining assets for the victims to the court but has yet to apologize or convey any intent of restitution to the victims’ families.