The Seoul Northern District Court has sentenced Kim Sung-jin to life imprisonment for the random and fatal stabbing of a woman in Mia-dong, Gangbuk District. In addition, the court ordered Kim Sung-jin to wear a location-tracking electronic device for 30 years, in line with the prosecution’s request.
The case stemmed from a violent incident in April, when Kim Sung-jin fatally stabbed a woman in her 60s inside a local mart near Mia Station. He also attempted to attack a second victim, a female employee in her 40s, but the assault was halted after she pleaded for her life.
CCTV footage presented by prosecutors captured Kim Sung-jin —dressed in a hospital gown after a recent hospitalization—purchasing alcohol, unwrapping a knife, and entering the store. In a chilling moment, he flashed a hand gesture associated with Ilbe (Ilgan Best), a controversial far-right online forum, describing it later as a “farewell gesture” to the community.
During the final hearing on July 16, prosecutors demanded the death penalty, calling the crime “an extreme case of disregard for life, driven by bottled-up rage and inferiority.” They argued that Kim Sung-jin’s motive—to commit murder in order to be imprisoned—could not be adequately punished with incarceration alone.
While the court acknowledged the planned nature of the attack—including Kim Sung-jin’s preparation of the weapon and selection of the victim—it ultimately rejected the death penalty.
“The murder was not impulsive,” the court ruled. “There is clear evidence of planning. Still, the defendant’s motivation appears to have been impulsively triggered by auditory hallucinations, which should be factored into sentencing.”
Presiding Judge Na Sang-hoon emphasized the rarity of capital punishment in South Korea: “The death penalty is an exceptionally severe measure, reserved only for the most extraordinary circumstances. Given sentencing standards and the principle of proportionality, it is difficult to conclude that this case meets that threshold.”
Instead, the court imposed life imprisonment without parole, ensuring Kim Sung-jin’s permanent isolation from society.
The victim’s family, present at the sentencing, expressed visible anguish as Kim Sung-jin —wearing a brown prison uniform—entered the courtroom. Kim himself admitted the charges fully and said in his final statement: “I apologize to the victims and their families. I will live the rest of my life in repentance.”
This verdict highlights South Korea’s ongoing debate around capital punishment, mental health considerations, and proportional sentencing in cases of violent crime. Despite strong public and prosecutorial calls for the death penalty, the judiciary once again favored life imprisonment as a severe yet proportionate punishment.
Sources: Nate
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