Top court upholds life sentence for man who killed teenage girl in Suncheon

Park Dae-seong, 31, who murdered a teenage girl after following her through the streets of Suncheon, South Jeolla, has been sentenced to life in prison. The Supreme Court upheld the life sentence against Park.

Murderer Park Dae-seong, aged 31 [JEONNAM PROVINCIAL POLICE AGENCY]

Park Dae-seong, 31, who murdered a teenage girl after following her through the streets of Suncheon, South Jeolla, has been sentenced to life in prison.

The Supreme Court upheld the life sentence against Park on charges of murder and attempted murder, according to a ruling released Tuesday.

Park was indicted for stabbing a 17-year-old girl multiple times with a weapon after following her for around 800 meters (0.5 miles) in Jorye-dong, Suncheon, at around 12:44 a.m. on Sept. 26 last year. The victim had left home to buy medicine for her father.

Park also faced attempted murder charges for entering a nearby bar and singing room shortly after the killing with intent to commit further murders.

He was arrested after getting into an altercation with a passerby while wandering the streets intoxicated. During the investigation, footage showing Park walking around with what appeared to be a smirk on his face after the murder was broadcast by local media, fueling public outrage. Citing the brutality of the crime and the public’s right to know, police released Park’s identity and mug shot during the investigation phase.

In January, the court sentenced Park to life in prison, saying he had "killed a stranger on a public street without any apparent motive and had been preparing to kill again."

“The victim, an only child who was on the cusp of entering society, was brutally killed at a young age without ever having the chance to realize her dreams,” the ruling stated.

Park appealed the decision, claiming he was in a diminished state due to intoxication, but the appellate court dismissed his argument in May and upheld the life sentence.

“‘Unprovoked crimes’ are especially serious because anyone could become a victim in an unexpected moment,” the court said, “and they severely threaten both public safety and the sanctity of life.”

Park again appealed, calling the sentence excessive, but the Supreme Court rejected the claim, saying the lower court’s decision to maintain the original ruling was not unreasonable when considering the motive, method, outcome and circumstances of the crime.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY KIM JUN-YOUNG [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]