First Trial Held on the 30th at Seoul Western District Court
"There Was a Kim Geonhee Version of the Youngest Son of a Conglomerate Case"
Baek Mo (37), who killed a neighboring resident by wielding a Japanese sword in front of the main gate of an apartment in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, denied all charges at the first trial.
At the first trial held on the 30th at the Seoul Western District Court Criminal Division 12 (Presiding Judge Kwon Seong-su), Baek expressed his intention to deny all charges including murder and violations of the Firearms and Ammunition Control Act. Baek stated, "Due to the Kim Geon-hee case related to the youngest son of a conglomerate family, I have been subjected to threats, illegal surveillance, and personal safety threats by Kim Geon-hee, Han Dong-hoon, and CJ through the media over the past three years," and added, "All charges including murder and possession of the Japanese sword occurred in the context of self-defense as a result of this."
Baek was indicted on charges of killing a neighboring resident Kim Mo (43) by wielding a weapon in front of the main gate of an apartment in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, at around 11:22 p.m. on July 29, when Kim briefly came out to smoke a cigarette. He is also charged with falsely reporting the Japanese sword, which he purchased with the intent to kill a resident, as a 'decorative item.'
Kim, who was slashed on the shoulder by the weapon, walked about 20 meters to a nearby security post to request help, but Baek chased him and struck him several more times with the weapon. Kim died while being transported by ambulance. Baek and Kim were neighbors in the same apartment complex and knew each other by face but were not personally close, according to the investigation.
After quitting his job in 2021, Baek planned the crime while preparing for reemployment over about three years, falling into a delusion that 'Chinese spies were trying to start a war against South Korea and that he had to stop it.' In the police investigation, Baek stated, "I planned this act to punish Chinese spies." The prosecution judged that it is difficult to consider Baek to have been in a state of diminished mental capacity at the time of the crime, considering that he has no history of mental illness treatment.
Meanwhile, Baek has continuously requested a jury trial, but the court indicated that it is practically difficult to hold a jury trial because Baek denies all charges. The court explained, "Since the defendant does not express any position regarding the investigation details of the case, we need to verify each major piece of evidence in the trial," and added, "A jury trial is not appropriate."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
