By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter
The death sentence imposed on Kang Ho-soon for killing 10 women, including his wife and mother-in-law, was confirmed at an appellate court, Thursday.
The Seoul High Court rejected Kang's appeal and upheld a lower court ruling that sentenced the 39-year-old to capital punishment for murder, sexual assault and arson.
The court also acknowledged the killing of his fourth wife and her mother by setting fire to their home ― an allegation Kang has denied.
``Kang took 10 people's lives without realizing that others' lives are as valuable as his. He should be segregated from society forever because he is likely to commit such crimes again, thinking that he was arrested because he was unlucky,'' the court said in its ruling.
``His crimes shocked the public and caused social unrest and distrust. Capital punishment is inevitable due to the evil influence he had on society.''
Kang was indicted in February on charges of kidnapping eight women and killing them in rural areas outside of Seoul between September 2006 and last December.
He was also charged with setting fire to the house of his mother-in-law in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, in October 2005, which claimed the lives of his wife and her mother, after he had taken out large life insurance policies on them.