"Wants a Public Trial"... Kang Yoon-sung, 'Electronic Ankle Bracelet·Serial Killer,' Changes Stance

Kang Yoon-sung (56), who is accused of murdering two women before and after damaging an electronic tracking device (electronic anklet), is being transferred to the prosecution from Songpa Police Station in Seoul on September 7. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] "There are many exaggerated details in the indictment."

Kang Yoon-seong (56), who was arrested and indicted on charges including damaging an electronic ankle bracelet and murdering two women, claimed that some of the prosecution's allegations were distorted. He changed his previous stance and requested a jury trial, which the court accepted.

According to the legal community on the 5th, the 12th Criminal Division of the Seoul Eastern District Court (Presiding Judge Park Sang-gu) accepted Kang's request for a jury trial on charges including murder and robbery-murder. At the first trial held last October, Kang had stated that he did not want a jury trial but later reversed his position.

In response, the prosecution argued at the first pretrial hearing held on the 9th of last month, "The law stipulates that once the trial date has already proceeded, the previous intention cannot be changed." Article 8, Paragraph 4 of the Act on the Participation of Citizens in Criminal Trials states that after the first trial date has been held, the defendant cannot change their previous intention regarding a jury trial.

However, the court explained the reason for its decision, stating, "The defendant's intention regarding the trial should take precedence," and "(The defendant's reversal of position) is unlikely to significantly delay the trial process or undermine procedural stability."

Furthermore, the court said, "This provision is intended to prevent confusion caused by continuous changes of intention," and added, "While it is difficult to allow reversals that severely undermine procedural stability, such as after the verdict has been reached, it is difficult to deny a jury trial at the current trial stage where evidence has not yet been examined."

Given the opportunity to speak, Kang said, "I sincerely confessed because I regretted the crime, but the investigative agency used that as a pretext to make me more cruel," and "I am so unfairly treated that I want to have the objective facts recognized." He also claimed at the first trial that some of the indictment's facts were distorted. At that time, Kang said, "I have never searched for how to kill a person nor do I know how to," and "I didn't know if the person was really dead or just pretending to faint, so I checked by pricking with the tip of a knife."

Meanwhile, Kang was arrested and indicted on charges including killing a woman in her 40s, Ms. A, at his home around 9:30 p.m. on August 26, cutting off his electronic ankle bracelet and fleeing the next day afternoon, and killing a woman in her 50s, Ms. B, in a vehicle around 3:30 a.m. on the 29th. It is understood that he planned the crimes for economic reasons.