Prosecutors seek death penalty for Gwangju murder suspect
Jang Yoon-gi is surrounded by police officers and reporters at Gwangju Seobu Police Station in Gwangju, May 14. Newsis
Prosecutors on Monday sought the death penalty for a man accused of murdering a female high school student in the southwestern city of Gwangju in May, citing a high risk of repeat offenses.
The Gwangju District Prosecutors Office demanded the sentence during the trial of 23-year-old Jang Yoon-gi, who was charged with killing 16-year-old Lee Chae-won on a street in Gwangju on May 5 after trying to rape her.
Jang was also charged with attempting to kill a 17-year-old male student who had rushed to the scene to help the victim, raping a Vietnamese woman two days earlier and illegally filming a teenage girl's body in the past.
"He poses a high risk of recidivism, including murder and sexual assault, in the event he returns to society," the prosecution said.
Jang apologized to the victims in his final statement, saying he will pay for his crimes for the rest of his life.
The sentencing hearing is scheduled to be held Sept. 30.