Judge, Kim Byung-chan, "Did you think a woman who wants to break up deserves to die?" [Seocho-dong Legal Talk]

'Stalking Murderer' Kim Byung-chan's Final Argument

Kim Byung-chan, who was receiving personal protection due to stalking, murdered his ex-girlfriend / Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

"Did you think that 'a woman who tries to break up with me deserves to die'?" (Judge)

"No, that's not the case." (Defendant Kim Byung-chan)

On the 23rd, the final defense of 'stalking murderer' Kim Byung-chan (36, male) was held at a courtroom on the 4th floor of the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, presided over by the 26th Criminal Division (Chief Judge Jung Jin-ah).

He was prosecuted on charges of stabbing his ex-girlfriend A (then 32 years old) multiple times with a weapon in a parking lot of an officetel in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the morning of November 19 last year. A, who was under police protection, sent an emergency distress signal via a smartwatch but ultimately passed away. It was investigated that Kim Byung-chan continued stalking, unauthorized entry, confinement, and threats even after receiving a clear breakup notice in June last year.

Presiding Judge Bae Ye-seon asked, "According to the CCTV, even after the victim, who was stabbed multiple times, had already collapsed and fallen, you tried to leave the crime scene but turned back and stabbed her again. Did you intend to kill the victim for sure?" Kim Byung-chan replied, "I don't remember," and claimed, "I rather thought it would be better if she had lived."

"If you hoped she would live, why didn't you request help during your escape or afterward?" Judge Bae questioned. Kim, who fled to Daegu, answered, "I found out about her death from watching TV news, and from then on, I did nothing and stayed holed up in a motel."

Judge Bae said, "Looking at your actions and the sequence of events, there is no feeling of sympathy or compassion for someone you loved or cared about." When asked if he had any final words for the victim's parents, Kim Byung-chan suddenly stood up with tears in his eyes, turned toward the bereaved family, knelt down, and said, "I am truly sorry."

At this, A’s family members cried out in the gallery. A’s father was given the floor and said, "If you had even a little love for my daughter, you wouldn’t have fled like that," adding, "If you liked her so much and didn’t want to break up, you should have surrendered to the police after killing her (omitted)... This is unforgivable." The father paused briefly and said, "This is the first time I’ve heard about the 'confirmation kill' by going back," then added, "(The defendant) seems to only care about his own survival."

The prosecutor emphasized, "This crime was premeditated and the method was brutal," and added, "Considering that after the crime, the defendant meticulously planned his escape to avoid the investigation, it is clearly a planned murder." It was found that Kim Byung-chan searched 47 times on his phone for various types of weapons, anti-slip tape, and practical martial arts related to the crime days before the incident. The prosecutor requested a life sentence and a 20-year electronic monitoring order (electronic anklet).

Kim Byung-chan denied some charges such as special threats and confinement. Regarding A’s statements made during her life while suffering from stalking, he said, "I think the victim was lying." He claimed the killing was not premeditated but an 'impulsive crime.' He said the reason he went with a weapon that day was, "I thought she would respond because she was very afraid of death (and wanted to reconcile)."

The defense attorney expressed "deep condolences to the grieving family" and appealed for leniency for Kim Byung-chan. Regarding the electronic anklet order, the defense argued, "It severely restricts physical and privacy freedoms, so the risk of reoffending must be strictly assessed," and requested dismissal. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for the 16th of next month.