Jang Yun-gi, 23, the defendant in the "Gwangju high school girl murder case," reportedly wrote in a handwritten statement submitted to police ahead of the disclosure of his personal information that he hoped no harm would come to his family.
According to Channel A on the 17th, Jang submitted the handwritten statement during a review by the police committee on the disclosure of personal information in May.
In the statement, Jang reportedly wrote, "I am sorry for committing the crime," while also stating, "Even if my personal information is disclosed, I hope no harm comes to my mother, father, and brother."
Police voted to disclose Jang's personal information on May 8, but after Jang raised an objection, they released his name and face on the 14th of the same month following a five-day grace period.
In a psychological examination conducted by prosecutors, Jang reportedly cited becoming a police officer like his father as his future aspiration. Jang's father is a serving police officer.
Jang was indicted on charges of killing Lee Chae-won, 17, a high school girl, with a weapon around 12:10 a.m. on May 5 on a pedestrian path near a university in Wolgye-dong, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, after failing in an attempt to abduct her with the intent to sexually assault her.
He also faces charges of wielding a weapon at a male student who was helping the victim at the time, as well as stalking and sexual assault charges against a 26-year-old Vietnamese woman who was a former workplace colleague.
Jang, who had initially claimed the crime was impulsive during the early stages of the investigation, admitted to murder with the intent of committing a sexual offense at his second trial held on the 13th.
Prosecutors plan to prove that the crime was a premeditated act aimed at committing a sexual offense through secured evidence, including a damaged real doll, cable ties used for restraint, and a vehicle dashcam, along with interrogation of the defendant.
Meanwhile, prosecutors and police are investigating allegations that some evidence, including the real doll and cable ties, was omitted or destroyed during the investigation at the time, as well as allegations that details of the investigation were leaked to Jang's father, a serving police officer.
