"Victim Killed, Perpetrator Searching for Additional Targets"
"Owner Operating Alone, Hiding Kitchen Knife, Targeted"
Park Daesung Claims "Don't Remember... It's a Matter of Perspective"
Park Dae-sung (30), who is accused of murder and attempted murder, is being transferred from Suncheon Police Station in Jeollanam-do to the prosecution on the morning of the 4th of last month. [Source=Yonhap News]
Park Daesung (30), who brutally murdered a high school student walking in Suncheon, Jeollanam-do, was judged by the prosecution to have been scouting for additional targets.
On the 5th, the Criminal Division 1 of the Suncheon Branch of the Gwangju District Court (Presiding Judge Kim Yonggyu) held the first trial of Park Daesung, who was detained and indicted on charges of murder and attempted murder. The prosecution added charges of attempted murder after Park Daesung, who stabbed and killed Ms. A (18) with a weapon, was found to have attempted to kill a karaoke bar owner and others while still carrying the weapon. Park Daesung appeared in court with his face covered by a mask.
On this day, the prosecution explained the charges, stating, "Park Daesung decided to kill the victim walking on the street and moved 800 meters. After confirming there was no sign of others, he stabbed the victim with a weapon," and "He attacked the resisting victim multiple times." Furthermore, "After fleeing with his slippers off, he concealed a kitchen knife with a T-shirt and looked for an easily subdued person working alone to prepare for another murder," the prosecution judged. Additionally, "At the first bar he visited, the owner became wary of Park Daesung’s barefoot state, causing him to run away," and "At the karaoke bar he visited afterward, he called for a staff member and asked to close the door, but when the owner, frightened by his tattoos, refused, he ran away again," the prosecution explained.
On the 31st of last month, the contents of a statement submitted by Park Daesung to the court were also disclosed. Through this statement, he admitted to the murder but claimed, "I do not know about the second crime with the intent to kill. I have no memory," and argued, "It depends on how each person thinks," thereby denying part of the charges. He also stated, "I will organize my opinion and testify after consulting with my lawyer at the next hearing." Throughout the trial, Park Daesung kept his head down and responded briefly with "Yes" to the judge’s questions.
On this day, the victim’s bereaved family and acquaintances shed tears while watching the trial. Ms. A’s mother requested an opportunity to speak during the trial and was granted the right to speak but was unable to continue due to sobbing. The court explained, "The victim’s lawyer expressed the opinion that strict punishment is necessary to permanently isolate him from society," and "Friends who appear to be acquaintances of the victim also submitted petitions requesting severe punishment." Park Daesung’s next trial is scheduled for 2 p.m. on the 26th.
Earlier, on September 26 at around 12:44 a.m., Park Daesung stabbed and killed a high school student he did not know several times with a weapon on a street in Jorye-dong, Suncheon City. The prosecution judged that Park Daesung committed the crime to relieve personal grievances accumulated from economic hardship, family conflicts, and feelings of alienation. Park Daesung’s personal information and mugshot were disclosed during the police investigation stage, considering the brutality of the crime and the public’s right to know.
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