Jang Hyungjun (33), the defendant in the Ulsan "stalking attempted murder case," who attempted to kill a woman he had previously dated by stabbing her dozens of times with a weapon, was sentenced to a heavy prison term in the first trial.
The 12th Criminal Division of the Ulsan District Court (Presiding Judge Park Junghong) sentenced Jang to 22 years in prison on December 19 on charges including attempted murder. The court also ordered him to wear a location-tracking electronic device (ankle monitor) for 10 years and to undergo probation.
On July 28, Jang attempted to kill his ex-girlfriend, a woman in her twenties, by stabbing her dozens of times with a weapon. Prior to this, he had confined the victim in her home and threatened her with a weapon when she expressed her desire to end the relationship. He also stalked her by contacting her over 500 times via phone calls and text messages over a six-day period.
As a result, the court had issued a restraining order and other provisional measures against him. Nevertheless, he went to the victim's workplace, waited for her to appear, and stabbed her more than 40 times in the neck and chest with a weapon.
At the time, nearby citizens witnessed the attack, intervened by throwing objects at Jang, and helped transport the victim to the hospital. Jang even attempted to flee by driving his car toward the citizens who tried to stop him.
Before the crime, he searched for terms such as "sentence for impulsive murder" and conducted several reconnaissance trips to the crime scene. On the day of the crime, he demonstrated meticulous planning by locating the victim's car and parking right next to it.
During the trial, while admitting to the crime, he claimed it was an impulsive act and at times made incoherent statements.
The court stated, "The defendant committed the crime in broad daylight with careful planning, yet suddenly claimed to have psychiatric symptoms during the investigation and made excuses that are simply unacceptable," adding, "The risk of reoffending is extremely high."
The court further noted, "If it had not been for the intervention of courageous citizens, the consequences would have been irreversible," and added, "The physical and psychological pain that the victim and her family must bear is unimaginable."
The victim has undergone several major surgeries and is currently recovering.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
