Suspect in fatal stabbing of 18-year-old student handed over to prosecution

The man who allegedly fatally stabbed an 18-year-old student with a knife with no apparent motive was handed over to the prosecution on Friday.

Park Dae-seong, 30 [JEONNAM PROVINCIAL POLICE AGENCY]

The man who allegedly fatally stabbed an 18-year-old student with a knife with no apparent motive was handed over to the prosecution on Friday.

Park Dae-seong, 30, was charged with murder. He is accused of stabbing the victim three times while drunk in a parking lot in Jorye-dong, Suncheon, South Jeolla, at around 12:44 a.m. on Thursday.

As Park left the Suncheon Police Station Friday morning to be handed over, reporters asked him whether he remembers the details of that deadly night and if he feels sorry for the victim.

"I'm starting to remember little by little," Park said. "I'm sorry."

This response contrasts with what he told reporters on Saturday before the pretrial detention hearing: "I don’t remember since I drank about four bottles of soju."

Park, who runs a food delivery restaurant, was allegedly drinking alone at his shop on the day of the murder. He is accused of grabbing a weapon and going outside, following the victim, who happened to be passing by, for about 800 meters (2,624 feet) before attacking her from behind.

He fled the crime scene when another passerby, who witnessed the crime, approached in an attempt to stop him. The passerby stated that the teenager cried out, “save me,” before succumbing to her injuries.

The victim was transported to a hospital after the attack but bled to death.

Park later got into an altercation with another passerby while wandering around drunk, which is when police apprehended him at around 3 a.m. the same day.

Police investigations revealed that Park did not know the victim. He stated he had been drinking because he broke up with his girlfriend and his business was struggling.

The investigation also uncovered that Park was caught smiling on CCTV on the night of the crime.

On Sept. 30, police held a committee meeting to decide whether to release Park's personal information to the public. They ultimately proceeded with the disclosure, citing the brutality of the crime, the severe harm caused, the public's right to know and the need to prevent further offenses.

This is the first time the Jeonnam Provincial Police Agency has disclosed the identity of a suspect involved in a serious crime.

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]