50s Man Who Murdered YouTuber Broadcasting Live in Front of Court Sentenced to Life Imprisonment

[Financial News] A 50s male YouTuber who brutally murdered a YouTuber he had conflicts with in front of the court has been sentenced to life imprisonment.
According to the legal community on the 29th, the Supreme Court's 3rd Division (Presiding Judge No Kyung-pil) confirmed the original sentence of life imprisonment for Mr. Hong, who was indicted for violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (retaliatory murder).
Mr. Hong, who runs a YouTube channel, was put on trial for stabbing and killing another YouTuber, Mr. A, who was broadcasting live in front of the Busan District Court Complex in Yeonje District, Busan, last May.
Mr. Hong and Mr. A had been in conflict since 2023, broadcasting defamatory content about each other and exchanging lawsuits and complaints. On the day of the crime, a trial was scheduled for a case where Mr. A had accused Mr. Hong of assault.
It was revealed that Mr. Hong committed the crime to prevent Mr. A from making statements and testifying in his criminal investigation and trial.
The first trial sentenced Mr. Hong to life imprisonment and ordered the attachment of an electronic location tracking device for 10 years. Mr. Hong's side claimed that there was no intent to kill and that the crime was committed impulsively, but this was not accepted.
The first trial court pointed out, "The defendant brutally murdered the victim, who was on his way to attend the first trial date of an assault case against him, in front of the court's main gate for retaliatory purposes," and "Since the victim was conducting a live broadcast on YouTube at the time of the crime, the crime scene was broadcast live, causing great shock and fear to many citizens."
It continued, "Retaliatory crimes not only infringe on individual legal interests but also hinder the exercise of the state's penal power, making them highly socially condemnable and necessitating a more stringent response," adding, "It is deemed necessary to permanently isolate the defendant from society."
Although Mr. Hong appealed, the Supreme Court upheld the judgment of the second trial, confirming the life imprisonment.

jisseo@fnnews.com Minji Seo Reporter