Court: "An Extreme Disregard for Human Life"
"Permanent Isolation Possible by Restricting Parole"
Park Daesung (31), who sparked public outrage by murdering a teenage girl, has been sentenced to life imprisonment again in his appeal trial. The court emphasized the necessity of permanent isolation, describing the crime as "an extreme disregard for human life."
The Gwangju High Court Criminal Division 1 (Presiding Judge Kim Jinhwa) sentenced Park to life imprisonment, upholding the original verdict for charges including murder. Park was put on trial for fatally stabbing a teenage female pedestrian multiple times with a weapon on a street in Suncheon, South Jeolla Province, on September 26 last year.
The court stated, "Although this crime did not appear to be meticulously planned, it provoked nationwide outrage," and determined that it was a "random act of violence constituting an extreme disregard for human life." The prosecution had sought the death penalty, but the court rejected this, explaining, "Compared to cases where the death penalty has been confirmed, there are differences in the degree of premeditation and the number of victims."
However, the court noted, "A life sentence is also a punishment that enables isolation from society," and explained that the objective can be achieved by strictly limiting the possibility of parole, thereby depriving the offender of freedom.
On this day, Park appeared in court wearing a yellow prison uniform and kept his head bowed throughout the proceedings. In a letter of apology, he stated, "I am overwhelmed with regret. I sincerely apologize to the victim and her family."
After the verdict was announced, the victim's family broke down in tears and had to leave the courtroom. Park's identity had already been made public during the investigation, and it was also revealed that immediately after the crime, he visited bars and karaoke rooms, attempting to commit additional offenses.
Investigations found that Park expressed his personal frustrations through the crime, which stemmed from financial difficulties, family conflicts, and repeated feelings of alienation.
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