'Ex-Husband and Stepson Murder' Go Yoo-jeong's First Trial Concludes Today... Prosecution Likely to Seek Death Penalty

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The first trial of Ko Yoo-jung, who was arrested and indicted on charges of murdering her ex-husband and stepson and disposing of their bodies, will conclude today (the 20th).

The Jeju District Court Criminal Division 2 (Chief Judge Jeong Bong-gi) will hold Ko's closing arguments at 2 p.m. in courtroom 201. The verdict is expected to be delivered by the end of next month.

During the closing arguments, the prosecution will request a sentence for Ko, and the defense counsel and Ko Yoo-jung will present their final statements to the court.

The prosecution is highly likely to seek the death penalty. This is because Ko Yoo-jung's motive and circumstances of the crime were inhumane and caused significant social controversy. Ko Yoo-jung was tried for stabbing her ex-husband Kang at a pension in Jocheon-eup, Jeju City, in May last year, killing him with a weapon, mutilating the body, and disposing of it (charges of murder, corpse mutilation, and concealment). Later, she was additionally indicted on charges of murdering her stepson.

Regarding the ex-husband murder case, the prosecution and Ko Yoo-jung's side fiercely disputed in court whether the crime was premeditated or impulsive.

From the beginning of the trial, Ko consistently claimed that she killed her ex-husband impulsively when he tried to sexually assault her. On the other hand, the prosecution refuted this, arguing it was a thoroughly planned "extreme disregard for human life murder."

Regarding the stepson murder case, Ko denied all the prosecution's allegations and stated that she did not commit the murder. The prosecution similarly viewed that Ko planned the murder, showing more concern for her current husband's miscarried child than for the victim, her stepson.