A man in his 30s accused of killing an acquaintance and dumping the body at Dumulmeori in Yangpyeong County, Gyeonggi Province, denied intent to commit murder at his first trial.
The 14th Criminal Division of the Seoul Northern District Court, presided over by Chief Judge Oh Byung-hee, held the first hearing for Seong, who was indicted and detained on murder charges, at around 10:10 a.m. on Friday. Seong appeared in court wearing a mustard-colored prison uniform with his face covered by a mask. After removing the mask at the court's request, Seong said he did not wish to have a jury trial.
Seong's defense attorney denied the murder charge, stating, "There was no intent to kill, and the defendant could not have foreseen that the victim would die." The attorney added that the victim was not in a mental state that could be dominated by Seong's will. However, the defense admitted all other charges, including body dumping, assault, theft, violation of the Resident Registration Act, and violation of the Road Traffic Act.
According to prosecutors, Seong is accused of assaulting and strangling to death the victim, identified by the surname Lee, at around 3:34 p.m. on January 14 at his home in Gangbuk District, Seoul, after the victim, who had been living with him, demanded money for motorcycle fuel. He is also charged with moving the victim's body to the back seat of a rental car in the underground parking lot of his residence immediately after the crime and dumping it along the Namhan River in Yangpyeong County, Gyeonggi Province.
At the hearing, prosecutors detailed charges that Seong had previously struck the victim's face and body multiple times on December 26 and 28 last year and on January 13, causing injuries, and demanded severe punishment from the court. Prosecutors also requested an order for an electronic tracking device, citing "a high risk of reoffending."
The court scheduled witness examinations for four individuals, including those surnamed Park and Jung, as requested by the prosecution, for around 3 p.m. on the 9th of next month. The defendant's examination will be held separately two weeks after the witness hearing.
Seong's first trial had previously been postponed four times due to the absence of the court-appointed attorney and the defendant himself.
