The prosecution has appealed the first-instance court ruling that sentenced the defendant Park Hak-seon (65) to life imprisonment in the 'Gangnam Officetel Mother-Daughter Murder' case.
On the 6th, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office stated, "This case involves the defendant repeatedly stabbing to death a female victim (63 years old) who demanded a breakup and her daughter (38 years old) with a large knife. The Seoul Central District Court sentenced the defendant to life imprisonment, although the prosecution had requested the death penalty," adding, "The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office filed an appeal against the first-instance ruling today."
Regarding the background of the appeal, the prosecution explained that they considered ▲the crime method was brutal and thoroughly premeditated murder ▲the victims, a mother and daughter, were mercilessly killed in extreme fear, and the bereaved family is still living in severe pain, earnestly petitioning for strict punishment against the defendant ▲the need to send a clearer social warning against crimes of intimate partner murder, and thus appealed to ensure a sentence commensurate with the crime.
Park was brought to trial on charges of murdering the mother and daughter at an officetel located in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on May 30. After being notified of a breakup by Ms. A, Park went up to the victims' office, killed her daughter Ms. B, and then chased and killed Ms. A as she tried to escape, according to the investigation.
On the 1st, the Criminal Division 23 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Oh Se-yong) sentenced Park to life imprisonment.
Earlier, at the sentencing hearing held on September 30, the prosecution described Park's crime as an "extreme disregard for human life murder case," emphasizing "the need to sound an alarm against the worsening crimes between lovers," and requested the court to impose the death penalty.
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