Death penalty sought in Gwangju student murder case

Prosecutors demanded the death penalty on Monday for Jang Yun-gi, accused of killing a high school student in Gwangju during an attempted sexual assault.

The Gwangju District Court held the final hearing in the first trial of Jang Yun-gi. He was indicted on charges including murder in the course of rape under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes, as well as attempted murder. 

Allegations concerning the cable ties seized from Jang's car were added to the indictment. Prosecutors argue that he bought them in advance to make the attack easier to carry out.

The amended indictment states that Jang tried to abduct the student by putting her in his car and binding her wrists and ankles with the ties. It also says he prepared for the abduction by clearing out the inside of the vehicle and leaving the right rear door open.

Jang's lawyer did not contest the amendment itself but rejected the prosecution's reading of what the cable ties were for.

"We have no objection to the change to the indictment," the lawyer said. "But the cable ties were bought to tidy up wiring while working on a computer, and had been kept unused in the car."

Murder committed in the course of rape carries only two possible sentences under Korean law, death or life imprisonment. The minimum term for murder alone is five years.

BY HAN YOUNG-HYE [[email protected]]