'Mia-dong Mart Murder' Kim Seong-jin Life Imprisonment in First Trial... "Must Be Isolated Forever"

[Financial News] Kim Seong-jin, who killed one person and injured another with a weapon at a mart in Mia-dong, was sentenced to life imprisonment in the first trial.
Seoul Northern District Court Criminal Division 13 (Presiding Judge Na Sang-hoon) sentenced Kim to life imprisonment on the 19th for charges of murder and attempted murder. It also ordered the attachment of a location tracking electronic device for 30 years.
The court pointed out, "The defendant repeatedly stabbed and killed the victim who went out to shop on an ordinary evening," and "The fear and helplessness the victim must have felt when suddenly attacked in an unguarded state would have been extreme."
Furthermore, "This incident has engulfed the members of our society in fear and anxiety that they could become targets of murder in the middle of the city for no reason," and "To achieve the retributive purpose of punishment and maintain social stability and order, we impose the heaviest sentence of life imprisonment, which is second only to the death penalty in our legal system," the court explained its sentencing reasons.
The court acknowledged that there were acceptable aspects to the prosecution's demand for the death penalty but saw alternatives such as restricting parole. The court stated, "The death penalty cannot be overlooked in terms of its specificity, severity, and fairness in similar cases," and "For those convicted of serious crimes with life imprisonment confirmed, parole can be restricted, or the review process can be made stricter to completely isolate the defendant from society and deprive them of freedom."
The court viewed that Kim had planned the crime in advance, considering the entire process of the crime execution. However, it judged that the decision to commit the crime itself was impulsive while suffering from auditory hallucinations.
Previously, the prosecution demanded the death penalty for Kim at the final trial on the 15th of last month, stating that it was difficult to expect the possibility of rehabilitation or recovery of humanity. 
Kim was brought to trial for killing a 60-year-old woman he did not know with a displayed weapon at a mart in Mia-dong, Gangbuk-gu, Seoul, on April 22. He also attempted to kill a 40-year-old female employee at the mart but stopped the attack when the victim pleaded for her life, resulting in an attempted murder charge.
Kim, who was hospitalized at a nearby orthopedic clinic for a finger fracture, entered the mart in patient attire, drank about 1 liter of displayed soju, and then took out a weapon from the display to attack the victims. He reported himself to the police immediately after the crime and even smoked a cigarette.
Kim was seen on the store's CCTV making an 'OK' gesture, symbolizing the online community Ilgan Best Storage, with his left hand while facing the camera. According to the prosecution, he testified to the police that he made a final greeting to the Ilbe site, anticipating that the CCTV footage would be released as evidence.
Kim admitted all the charges at the first trial. The police investigation found him to be a psychopath, and his personal information was disclosed. On the day of the trial, Kim, wearing a brown prison uniform, entered the courtroom with a blank expression, bowing his head throughout the sentencing. After the verdict was announced, he nodded to the judge and left the room. 
The bereaved families who watched the trial were disappointed with the life imprisonment sentence. The family, who sighed and sobbed several times during the trial, left the courtroom immediately after the sentencing. They told reporters, "He should have been sentenced to death," "If such a person is not sentenced to death, who would be?"

jyseo@fnnews.com Seo Ji-yoon Reporter