"Jeonju-hwan's Supreme Court Verdict Today in 'Sindang Station Stalking Murder' Case... Life Imprisonment in Second Trial"

The Supreme Court's final ruling on Jeon Ju-hwan (32, male), who was sentenced to life imprisonment in the second trial for murdering a Sin-dang Station staff member whom he was stalking and was also a workplace colleague, will be announced on the 12th.

The Supreme Court's 3rd Division (Presiding Justice No Jeong-hee) will hold the appellate trial sentencing hearing for Jeon Ju-hwan, who was indicted on charges including violation of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (retaliatory murder), violation of the Sexual Violence Punishment Act (coercion using filmed materials), and violation of the Stalking Punishment Act, on the morning of the same day.

Defendant Jeon Juhwan in the 'Sindang Station Stalking Murder' case. / Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

Jeon Ju-hwan is accused of continuously stalking a woman in her 20s, whom he met as a workplace colleague at Seoul Metro in 2019, and threatening her by illegally filming her. In particular, when the sentencing date for the stalking and illegal filming case, for which he was prosecuted following the victim's report, was set and a prison sentence was expected, he is accused of visiting Sin-dang Station on Seoul Subway Line 2, where the victim worked, on September 14 last year and retaliating by murdering her with a weapon in the women's restroom, thinking that "everything he had built up until now would collapse."

Investigations revealed that Jeon Ju-hwan prepared for the crime in advance by checking the victim's address and work information four times through the company's internal computer network and other means from August 18, last year, when the final trial for the stalking case was held, until the day of the crime. He also showed meticulousness by installing an app to obstruct location tracking on his mobile phone, purchasing disposable transportation cards with cash, and wearing anti-slip gloves and a hair cap.

The first trial court, which examined the retaliatory murder charge, sentenced him to 40 years in prison in February.

The prosecution appealed the first trial court's ruling of 40 years in prison, citing excessive sentencing. At that time, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office stated, "This case involves a crime in which the defendant, with a meticulous premeditated plan, boldly and brutally murdered the victim in a public place as retaliation against the victim who reported his crime. Considering all aspects such as the motive, plan, execution process, and result of the crime, the defendant's attitude after the crime, the high risk of recidivism, the serious threat stalking and retaliatory crimes pose to our society, the public demand for severe punishment, and the bereaved family's plea for active prosecution, it was judged necessary to impose a sentence that permanently isolates Jeon Ju-hwan from society, which is why the appeal was filed."

Meanwhile, on the 29th of the same month, after the victim's death, he was sentenced to nine years in prison at the first trial sentencing hearing for stalking and illegal filming charges. This trial concerned allegations that he sent hundreds of messages causing fear or anxiety to the victim, a workplace colleague avoiding his contact, and threatened her using sexually explicit videos filmed against her will after she received a written warning from the police following her report.

These trials were consolidated in the appellate court.

The Seoul High Court Criminal Division 12-2 (Presiding Judges Jin Hyun-min, Kim Hyung-bae, Kim Gil-ryang), which handled Jeon Ju-hwan's appeal, sentenced him to life imprisonment on July 11, stating, "It is appropriate for him to live a life of sincere repentance through incarceration isolated from society and to live with a lifelong sense of atonement to the victim and her bereaved family." They also ordered him to complete 40 hours of stalking and sexual violence treatment programs and to wear an electronic location tracking device (electronic anklet) for 15 years.

The court at that time stated, "He committed heinous crimes repeatedly during the intervention of public authority and trial proceedings to retaliate against the victim's legitimate reports and complaints," and "He brutally trampled on human dignity and value by going to the victim's workplace and killing an innocent victim."

Regarding the letters of remorse that Jeon Ju-hwan continuously submitted, the court said, "Although he submitted several letters of remorse to investigative agencies and the first trial court after the stalking and other crimes, he proceeded to retaliatory murder. There is fundamental doubt about the meaning of the defendant's letters of remorse and whether he is sincerely reflecting on his crimes even now."

They added, "Given that he committed antisocial and heinous crimes without hesitation, the risk of recidivism is high," and "There is considerable skepticism about the possibility of rehabilitation in the future."

The prosecution requested the death penalty for Jeon Ju-hwan at the sentencing hearing of the second trial, following the first trial. However, the court rejected this, stating, "Life imprisonment is also a very severe punishment that does not deprive life but permanently isolates the defendant from society. There is no clear and definite special circumstance that justifies the death penalty for the defendant."

Meanwhile, Min Go-eun, the lawyer representing the victim's bereaved family, issued a statement the day before the Supreme Court ruling, saying, "The bereaved family believes that the way to console the victim's soul is through the defendant's severe punishment, and they are spending each day petitioning the court for a harsh sentence and collecting citizen petitions."

She added, "If the Supreme Court dismisses the defendant's appeal and confirms the life sentence imposed in the second trial, it will be a meaningful ruling for countless victims."