[Financial News] The prosecution has once again demanded the death penalty for Park Dae-seong (32) in the appeals trial for the murder of a female high school student, whom he killed with a weapon without any prior acquaintance.
On the morning of the 3rd, the Gwangju High Court’s Criminal Division 1, presided over by Judge Kim Jin-hwan, held an appeals hearing for Park, who was convicted of killing the student.
Park was charged with fatally stabbing an 18-year-old woman without clear reason as she walked along a street in Joerye-dong, Suncheon, Jeollanam-do, on September 26 of last year at approximately 12:44 a.m. In the first trial, he was sentenced to life imprisonment and ordered to wear an electronic monitoring device for 20 years. Both Park and the prosecution appealed the decision.
During the proceedings, the prosecutor requested a death sentence, stating, “Before becoming a wealthy and powerful nation, citizens dream of a country where they can live safely. The fundamental reason judges and prosecutors work overtime, buried in exhaustive case records, is for the safety of Korean citizens.”
The prosecutor added, “After hearing about the case where a 17-year-old student was stabbed to death without any understanding on the street, ordinary citizens are losing hope for tomorrow, and netizens are angry, believing the defendant should suffer the same fate. People are starting to think they might need to wear stab vests or bulletproof vests just to go out.”
Furthermore, the prosecutor criticized Park’s sentence, saying, “Park Dae-seong brutally murdered a victim at the prime of her youth to resolve personal grievances, yet was sentenced to life imprisonment rather than the death penalty, allowing for the possibility of parole and release after more than ten years.”
The prosecutor concluded, “If victims suffer more than murderers, what hope is there for the citizens who endure hardships for today’s happiness? Sentencing for murder sets the standard for all criminal punishment,” urging the court to issue a death sentence.
In his final statement, Park said, “Due to my wrongful actions, a person lost their life, and the bereaved family suffered an unhealable emotional wound. I understand I can’t be forgiven, and all I can express is my regret.”
Meanwhile, the father of the victim, who attended the trial in a wheelchair, submitted a petition to the appeals court requesting a severe punishment for Park. The sentencing hearing for Park’s appeal is scheduled for May 1.