Life sentence upheld for Sillim-dong stabbing spree perpetrator

An appellate court upheld a life sentence for Cho Seon, the perpetrator of a stabbing attack in Sillim-dong last year.

Cho Seon, who was 33 years old at the time of the stabbing spree, is escorted to the prosecutors' office by police at the Gwanak police station on July 28, 2023. [YONHAP]

An appellate court on Friday upheld life imprisonment for Cho Seon, who carried out a fatal knife attack in Sillim-dong in Seoul last year.

On July 21, 2023, the 34-year-old went on a stabbing rampage near Sillim Station in Gwanak District, southern Seoul, killing a 22-year-old man and injuring three others.

"The crime was extremely brutal and vicious, committed in broad daylight in a crowded area," said the Seoul High Court in its ruling, adding that the defendant instilled a fear in society that anyone could become a victim of a terrorist act as his motive was unclear.

The court added that he robbed an innocent young man of his life, and three others suffered immense physical and mental pain, noting that the horror and helplessness felt by the victims, all of whom were young men of integrity, are beyond measure.

The court also noted that Cho's violent actions had triggered copycat crimes and stirred public anxiety as terrorism threats were posted online multiple times. A similar incident occurred two weeks later, involving 23-year-old Choi Won-jong, who wielded a knife at a mall in Bundang, Gyeonggi. While no one was fatally stabbed, two women died after being struck by Choi's vehicle.

The high court upheld the previous ruling despite the prosecutor's request for the death penalty.

On Jan. 31, the Seoul Central District Court found Cho guilty on multiple charges of murder, attempted murder, theft and fraud, sentencing him to life imprisonment.

The court also ordered him to be tracked via an ankle monitor for 30 years if he is released on parole.

The court denounced Cho's acts, saying that they were committed in an "extremely cruel and vicious manner."

"It has had a significant impact on society, as those who saw the video footage and those who heard the news were engulfed in fear," added the district court.

After the first trial, prosecutors requested the death penalty, arguing that he confessed an intent to kill only after receiving a harsher sentence than expected and repeatedly asked for a reduced sentence in his apology letter.

According to earlier police investigations, Cho planned to murder young men after being summoned for questioning for insulting a gaming YouTuber in an online community in December of 2022.

Cho told the police that he committed the crime out of anger and wished to inflict the same misery he was feeling upon others. He had never met the four victims.

Throughout his life, he struggled to secure a stable job and took up temporary jobs such as a delivery driver and a construction worker.

In addition to a criminal record with three offenses, Cho was also sent to juvenile court 14 times as a youth.

BY WOO JI-WON [woo.jiwon@joongang.co.kr]