'Peer Female Murderer' Jung Yoo-jung Sentenced to Life Imprisonment in Appeal Trial

Jung Yoo-jung, who was tried for brutally murdering a woman in her 20s and disposing of the body, was sentenced to life imprisonment again in the second trial.

Jung Yoo-jung, accused of murdering a peer woman and disposing of the body.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the legal community on the 27th, the Criminal Division 2 of the Busan High Court (Judge Lee Jae-wook) sentenced Jung Yoo-jung to life imprisonment, the same as the first trial, at the appeal sentencing hearing held that day. Previously, the prosecution had requested the death penalty during the closing arguments.

The court stated, "The defendant is judged to have immersed herself in destructive behavior to relieve inner stress with resentment and negative emotions stemming from a difficult upbringing," and added, "It appears that she made an extreme choice due to accumulated frustration, violent impulses, and anger."

Furthermore, the court said, "She showed sadistic and brutal behavior by killing a woman in her 20s who had no relation to her, mutilating and disposing of the body, which makes her blameworthiness much greater compared to other crimes," and "The victim lost her life at her residence, and her family is pleading for the harshest punishment."

However, the court did not accept the prosecution's request for the death penalty. The court explained the reason for sentencing life imprisonment, stating, "The death penalty is a severe punishment that deprives life and should be applied only in very exceptional cases," and "Factors such as occupation, age, level of education, family relationships, motive, presence or absence of premeditation, means and methods of the crime, and the seriousness of the outcome were thoroughly examined before deciding not to impose the death penalty."

Jung Yoo-jung was indicted for killing Ms. A, a woman of the same age living in Geumjeong-gu, Busan, whom she met through a tutoring application, with a weapon at around 5:40 p.m. on May 26 last year, and then disposing of the body.

Jung Yoo-jung attempted to make it appear as if Ms. A had gone missing by disposing of the body along the Nakdong River, where she usually took walks. However, she was caught by the police after a taxi driver suspiciously reported seeing her discard a blood-stained travel bag.