Prosecutors presented social media conversations as evidence in the third trial of Jang Yun-gi, 24, accused in the abduction and murder of a middle school girl in Jeonnam. The prosecution revealed chats where Jang discussed plans to abduct a female student with former classmates and social welfare center colleagues. The victim’s family urged the court to impose the death penalty.
New Evidence Presented in Third Trial
The Gwangju District Court’s Criminal Division 13 convened for the third hearing on August 27th concerning Jang Yun-gi, who is detained on charges including aggravated homicide. The court reviewed new evidence submitted by the prosecution, including forensic data from a mobile phone recovered from an aerial drone and call records, totaling 185 items. This evidence aims to bolster the case against Jang.
Social Media Revelations
Through the forensic analysis of Jang’s mobile phone, investigators reconstructed social media conversations he had with former classmates since the winter break of 2019, when he was a first-year middle school student. The prosecution confirmed that in these chats, Jang expressed intentions to abduct a female student, stating, “If my life is ruined, I’ll abduct a female student and become a Bong-go-cha (a type of vehicle used for transporting prisoners).”
The prosecution had previously sought the testimony of two of Jang’s former classmates and two former colleagues from a social welfare center as witnesses, intending to use their statements to establish Jang’s sexual deviancy, his motives, and his abnormal sexual perceptions. However, with the court’s acceptance of the social media chats as evidence, the prosecution withdrew its request for these individuals to testify.
Defense Arguments and Victim’s Family Plea
Jang’s defense counsel acknowledged the factual basis of some of the social media conversations but argued that their relevance to the case was weak. The defense stated, “While we do not deny the content of the chats, the victim was introverted during their middle school years.” They further elaborated that the chats appeared to be reactive, with Jang responding to statements made by others rather than initiating the discussions about abduction or sexual fantasies.
Despite these arguments, the defense did not deny that the conversations could be perceived negatively. They also requested the court to differentiate between the speakers and recipients in some of the exchanged messages, suggesting that the roles might have been reversed in certain instances.
Following the morning hearing, a legal representative for the victim’s aunt stated, “The prosecution aims to prove Jang Yun-gi’s severely distorted sexual perceptions.” The victim’s family submitted a statement to the court, strongly advocating for the harshest possible sentence.
A Plea for Justice
The victim’s mother and aunt appeared as witnesses, directly addressing the court and imploring the judges to sentence Jang to death. In their statement, they expressed the profound grief and devastation caused by the perpetrator’s brutal actions. “Our precious daughter’s life was stolen by the perpetrator’s cruel crime, and our family’s life has been completely shattered. Every morning, waking up is a torment, a living hell,” the statement read. “If the perpetrator is released back into the world, it would be akin to sentencing us to death once again.”
They continued, “We implore you to grant our family our last hope by permanently excluding the perpetrator from society through the highest legal penalty, the death sentence, thereby avenging our child’s tragic end and allowing our devastated family to find some solace.”
Additional Witness Testimony
Gomo, 17, who rushed to the scene after hearing the victim’s cries, also testified during the trial. Gomo recounted that upon arriving, Jang appeared calm and stated he intended to call emergency services and asked to borrow a mobile phone.
The court is expected to continue examining the evidence and testimonies in the ongoing proceedings.
